US Becomes India’s Largest LPG Supplier, Accounts for 67% of Imports: Hardeep Puri

The United States has emerged as the largest supplier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to India, accounting for around 67 per cent of the country's LPG imports following supply disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday.

Speaking at an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Puri said India had rapidly diversified its energy sources and increased domestic LPG production to offset lower supplies from Gulf countries.

The minister said measures including diversified sourcing, expanded refining capacity and higher domestic production helped ensure that consumers did not face any major disruption despite the crisis affecting key energy supply routes, reported NDTV.

US Accounts For 67% Of India’s LPG Imports

"Today, I am happy to inform you that the United States accounts for something like 67 per cent of our LPG imports," Puri said.

He said the crisis had demonstrated India's improved energy security and marked a shift from dependence on a limited number of hydrocarbon sources towards diversified imports, strategic partnerships, infrastructure expansion and alternative fuels. India Cuts Overall Energy Import Dependence to 42%, but Crude Oil Imports Still Meet 90% of Demand: CII-EY Report.

Before the Middle East conflict, India imported as much as half of its crude oil from countries using the Strait of Hormuz as a transit route. Around 90 per cent of India's LPG imports and 60 per cent of other gas imports also passed through the critical waterway.

Puri said India quickly diversified its sources after supplies were disrupted to prevent shortages across the country.

"I can say with a degree of confidence, not one station went dry, not one," he said, referring to India's network of more than 1.07 lakh fuel retail outlets. The number of outlets has increased from around 52,000 in 2014. India Buys Iranian Oil for 1st Time in 7 Years, Resumes Crude and LPG Imports amid Middle East Conflict.

India Expands Crude Oil Supply Sources

India has expanded its crude oil sourcing network from 27 countries to 41 countries, Puri said. He added that the country maintained around 60 days of crude oil supply cover and did not face any shortage of crude supplies.

The country's city gas distribution network has also expanded significantly, from 55 geographical areas to 309.

INR 84,000 Crore Samudra Manthan Programme

Puri also highlighted the government's recently approved INR 84,000 crore Samudra Manthan programme, aimed at boosting deepwater oil and gas exploration.

"The government is not going to do the drilling. The drilling is going to be done by private players," Puri said.

Under the programme, the government will support up to 50 per cent of drilling costs or provide support of up to INR 650 crore per well to encourage private investment in high-risk offshore exploration.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening India's domestic energy production and reducing dependence on overseas supplies over the long term.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2026 12:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).