India now sources about 70 per cent of its crude oil imports from routes that do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri told Parliament on Thursday, adding that the country’s crude supply remains secure. ADVERTISEMENTThe panic over cooking gas supplies is triggered by consumer anxiety rather than a supply shortage, Hardeep added. The government also said that 40,000 kilolitres of additional kerosene have been allocated to states as an alternative fuel to LPG. Some more commercial LPG cylinders will be released to beneficiaries identified by state governments, said Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the ministry of petroleum and natural gas. Several Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex over the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders and demanded answers from the government.

Source: The Telegraph March 12, 2026 13:13 UTC