NEW DELHI, Mar 26: India has around 60 days of fuel stock cover, the government said on Thursday, asserting that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG and describing reports of a crisis as a “deliberate misinformation campaign” aimed at triggering panic buying. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that all petrol pumps across the country are fully stocked and functioning normally, with no rationing of fuel.
The ministry said India, the world’s fourth‑largest refiner and fifth‑largest exporter of petroleum products, has structurally assured domestic fuel availability and continues to supply refined fuels to over 150 countries. “Every Indian refinery is running at over 100 per cent utilisation,” it said, adding that crude oil supplies for the next 60 days have already been secured by Indian oil companies. Total crude and fuel stocking capacity stands at 74 days, with the country currently holding about 60 days’ stock, including crude, refined products, and strategic storage in underground caverns.
“Nearly two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen regardless of what happens globally,” the ministry said, stressing that India is secure for the coming months and that the quantity in strategic cavern storage is now secondary in this scenario. It dismissed claims that India’s reserves are depleted or insufficient as baseless, saying such representations “should be dismissed with the disdain they deserve.”
The ministry noted that crude supplies remain stable despite tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, with higher volumes from alternative sources compensating for any disruption. Indian refiners are operating at above full capacity, and crude procurement for the next 60 days is already in place. LPG supplies are also sufficient, it said, with domestic production increased and import dependence reduced, while additional cargoes from multiple countries have been arranged to ensure uninterrupted availability. The government warned that misleading social media posts and fabricated claims about shortages or emergency measures were being spread to create unnecessary anxiety and indicated that action would be taken against those responsible.
