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India Reassures Fuel Supply, Ramps Up Imports as Panic Buying Triggers Local Outages

Officials cite roughly 60 days of stocks with refineries running at full tilt.

Overview

  • India’s petroleum ministry, which issued a detailed note Thursday, said national fuel cover is about 60 days and warned that false posts are driving panic buying.
  • Long queues and temporary pump dry-outs were reported in cities such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru as demand spiked and some dealers struggled with upfront payment rules, prompting oil firms to extend credit to ease restocking.
  • To steady cooking-gas supply, officials said domestic LPG output has risen by about 40 percent, household deliveries remain on schedule, and roughly 800,000 tonnes of import cargoes are already en route.
  • Industry sources said India is fast-tracking crude and LPG contracts from non–West Asia suppliers such as Russia and the United States, with short-term U.S. waivers on pre-loaded Russian and Iranian cargoes adding limited relief.
  • Pakistan’s review panel said petrol cargoes for March and April are largely secured and is weighing a mobile app to assign fuel quotas as the Strait of Hormuz shutdown, which normally carries up to a quarter of seaborne oil, continues to strain flows.