Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged citizens not to pay attention to rumours, asking them not to panic amid fears of LPG shortage in the wake of the widening West Asia conflict.
PM Modi appealed to the people to only “spread correct, verified information”. He exuded confidence that India, as a nation, “will navigate every situation successfully”. Follow US-Iran war news live updates
Addressing a mega NDA rally in poll-bound Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchi, he also reiterated that the Centre always prioritises the nation’s interests above everything.
Noting that the West Asia conflict has affected the entire world’s energy supply chain, PM Modi affirmed that the government “believes in the ideology of India first”.
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This is not the first time the prime minister has assured the public amid the ongoing US-Iran war. Earlier in the day, while speaking at an event in Kochi, PM Modi said that India does not leave its citizens stranded abroad, adding that the government is working to ensure all possible help to Indians in West Asia.
He also affirmed that the Centre is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating efforts to support Indian nationals living and working across the conflict-hit regions.
PM Modi also expressed gratitude to the Gulf nations for looking after Indian nationals residing there. “Gulf countries are giving the utmost care to Indians working there. I am grateful to them for that,” he said.
Centre on crude oil, LPG
At an inter-ministerial briefing on Wednesday evening, the Centre revealed that India’s crude oil supply remains secure and uninterrupted, even as concerns over global oil supply grew with escalating tensions in West Asia.
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Officials said the country currently has access to about 55 lakh barrels of crude oil per day, adding that the volumes secured today exceed what would normally have arrived through the Strait of Hormuz during this period.
Additionally, the government also revealed that India imports about 60 per cent of its liquid petroleum gas (LPG) requirement, of which 90 per cent comes through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, urged the public not to panic and said the Centre has taken several measures to deal with the supply disruptions.
