Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said there is no shortage of LPG or other petroleum products in India.
The reassurance comes as geopolitical tensions in West Asia and rumors of scarcity have triggered panic buying among citizens. This instability threatens to disrupt domestic energy markets if public anxiety continues to drive artificial demand.
Speaking during the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 in Delhi and in a statement to the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Puri addressed the perceived scarcity. He said, "There is no fuel shortage in India." To support this claim, the minister noted that LPG output has risen 28% [1].
Puri attributed the current market strain not to a lack of supply, but to consumer behavior. He said, "LPG output is up 28% and panic buying is driving demand" [1]. The government is attempting to stabilize the situation following an appeal from Prime Minister Modi to citizens to remain calm.
Regional concerns have also been addressed by state-owned entities. An Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) spokesperson said there is no fuel shortage in north India [2]. This statement specifically targets rumors circulating in the northern regions amid the broader West Asia crisis.
In addition to national supply efforts, the government is expanding infrastructure in specific high-demand areas. For the Char Dham Yatra 2026, the government is adding 100 additional LPG distributors in Uttarakhand [3]. This move is intended to ensure that pilgrimage activities do not strain the local fuel network.
The ministry continues to monitor the impact of West Asian tensions on import routes. However, officials maintain that current reserves are stable and sufficient to meet nationwide needs without disruption.
“"There is no fuel shortage in India."”
The Indian government is engaging in aggressive communication to prevent a feedback loop where panic buying creates the very shortages consumers fear. By citing specific production increases and adding distributors in high-traffic zones like Uttarakhand, the ministry is attempting to shift the narrative from geopolitical vulnerability to domestic capacity.
