Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, triggered by the US and Israel attacks on Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the crisis in West Asia has created a negative impact on the world economy and has also set unprecedented challenges for India too. However, he assured that the government’s focus is to ensure that people in India face the least hardship. PM Modi also stressed that the government is making all efforts to ensure smooth petrol and diesel supply across the country.
PM Modi said that to ensure the smooth supply, India has increased its energy imports from 27 countries to 41 countries. “India now has over 53 lakh metric tonnes of strategic petroleum reserve. The country is working to increase it to over 65 lakh MT,” he added.
“A significant portion of India’s crude oil, gas, and fertiliser supplies comes through the Strait of Hormuz. In the current situation, the movement of ships through the Strait has become very challenging. Despite this, the government is making every effort to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel, and gas is not significantly affected. Our focus remains on minimising difficulties for common households. We all know that India meets nearly 60 per cent of its LPG requirement through imports. Due to supply uncertainties, the government has prioritised domestic use of LPG, while also increasing production within the country. Even as petrol and diesel supplies continue across the country, the government is consistently working to address these challenges,” PM Modi said.
He also said that cargo movement through the Strait of Hormuz has been a challenge from the beginning of the war, yet the government is ensuring that gas and fuel supplies remain the least affected.
“We all know that India imports 60 per cent of its LPG needs. Due to uncertain supply, the government is prioritising domestic supply. LPG production in the country is also being increased,” he said.
