India says fuel supply secure after Hormuz tensions, crude sources expand to 41 countries

Fuel supplies maintained during disruption

India avoided shortages of petrol and diesel during tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. He also said supplies of liquefied petroleum gas were maintained despite the pressure on a maritime route that is important to global energy markets.

Puri presented the continuity of domestic fuel supply as evidence that India’s energy procurement system remained resilient. His statement did not provide figures for inventories, refinery operating rates or the volumes of crude oil and petroleum products available during the period. It also did not specify how long the disruption lasted or whether individual suppliers changed their delivery schedules.

Crude oil procurement reaches 41 countries

India is now sourcing crude oil from 41 countries, Puri said. The number demonstrates the breadth of the country’s supplier base and reduces reliance on any single exporting country. For Indian refiners, access to a wider pool of producers can provide more options when freight routes, sanctions, production policies or regional security affect established supply channels.

Diversification does not remove India’s exposure to international oil prices or shipping constraints. Alternative barrels must still match refinery configurations, commercial terms and delivery requirements. The value of a larger supplier network therefore depends on whether refiners can obtain suitable grades at competitive delivered prices when their regular routes face disruption.

United States supplies 67% of gas purchases

Puri said India is buying 67% of its gas from the United States. The statement points to a substantial US role in India’s gas procurement, although the material provided does not identify the period covered, the type of gas included or the volumes involved. No comparison with previous sourcing levels was given.

The two figures reveal different elements of India’s energy strategy. Crude oil purchases are spread across 41 countries, while gas procurement is heavily concentrated in the United States. A broad crude supplier base gives refiners more potential counterparties, but the reported US share of gas purchases creates greater exposure to one origin. Importers will still have to balance supply security against freight costs, contract terms and the availability of cargoes.

For producers and traders, India’s procurement reach means more exporters may be able to compete for business from one of the world’s major energy-consuming markets. For Indian refiners and fuel distributors, the immediate operational test is continuity: keeping crude deliveries, refinery runs and product availability aligned when a key shipping corridor comes under pressure.

Puri’s comments indicate that the system passed that test during the reported Hormuz tensions. However, the available statement contains no data on costs, emergency purchases or government intervention. The commercial impact on refiners, gas buyers and consumers therefore cannot be quantified from the disclosed information alone.