The Centre on Tuesday said more than 67,000 LPG cylinders have been seized, over 1,160 FIRs registered, and 271 people arrested since March 2026 as part of a nationwide crackdown on hoarding and black marketing amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.
At an inter-ministerial briefing held at the National Media Centre, officials from key ministries assured that adequate supplies of petrol, diesel, LPG, and natural gas are being maintained despite global disruptions. The government urged citizens to avoid panic buying and rely only on official information, emphasizing that no shortages have been reported at fuel outlets.
The Centre highlighted that 100% supply is being ensured for domestic LPG, piped natural gas (PNG), and CNG for transport, while commercial LPG supply has been increased to about 70% of pre-crisis levels, with priority given to essential sectors such as healthcare, education, and pharmaceuticals.
In a significant shift towards cleaner fuels, more than 42,800 PNG consumers have voluntarily surrendered their LPG connections via the MYPNGD portal. Since March, over 5.6 lakh new PNG connections have been activated, with infrastructure created for an additional 2.64 lakh households.
The government also announced measures to support industries affected by supply chain disruptions. The textiles and handicrafts sector has been placed under priority categories for natural gas supply, with allocations maintained at 80% of the past six months’ average consumption. Customs duty has been deferred on 29 key textile inputs, while proposals for further duty relief and anti-dumping duty deferment on select yarns are under consideration.
To support critical industries, more than 8,300 metric tonnes of propylene and 870 metric tonnes of butyl acrylate have been supplied by major refineries since April 9 to the chemical, pharmaceutical, and paint sectors.
On the energy front, refineries are operating at high capacity with sufficient crude stocks, and domestic LPG production has been ramped up. The government has also reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre to shield consumers from rising global crude prices, while increasing export levies to ensure domestic availability.
Maritime and aviation sectors are also being closely monitored. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has facilitated the safe return of more than 2,800 Indian seafarers from the Gulf region, including 24 in the last 24 hours. Port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian missions in the region are operating round-the-clock helplines and assisting citizens amid evolving conditions. Flight operations are gradually stabilising, with increased services from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Over 100 flights are expected to operate between the UAE and India alone on Tuesday.
Officials reiterated that India is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia and is taking coordinated steps across sectors to ensure energy security, supply chain stability, and the safety of Indian nationals abroad.
