New Delhi, Mar 12: Amid West Asia’s fiery Iran-US-Israel clash shuttering the Strait of Hormuz—the globe’s oil jugular—Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri delivered a rock-steady Lok Sabha reality check: India’s crude supply is bulletproof, refineries humming over 100% capacity, and zero shortages looming for petrol, diesel, ATF, kerosene, or fuel oil.
“The world hasn’t seen an energy crunch like this—Hormuz effectively closed to commercial ships for the first time ever,” Puri noted, crediting PM Modi’s globe-trotting diplomacy for locking in crude volumes topping what the strait would’ve piped through. Smart diversification flipped the script: non-Hormuz imports jumped from 55% to 70%, pulling from Russia, US, Norway, and beyond—no more Middle East monopoly woes.
LPG jitters? Blame panic-buying, not pipelines—production’s up 28%, homes and farms prioritized, alternate fuels ramped. “Retail pumps stocked nationwide, chains smooth—prices held firm despite global spikes,” he hammered, as opposition shouts punctuated the House.
That Saudi tanker docking in Mumbai yesterday? Exhibit A of resilient routes. With refineries maxed and strategic reserves topped, India weathers the storm better than most—proving diversification’s the ultimate energy shield in 2026’s chaos.
