New Delhi, March 12: Amid sloganeering by the opposition MPs, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the country is successfully navigating the major disruption in global energy supplies following the West Asia conflict. "India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain this position even in the event of a prolonged conflict. Power generation for every household and for industry is fully protected," Puri said. The Union Minister noted that the conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, a route that typically handles 20 per cent of the world's crude, natural gas, and LPG.

Addressing the House, Puri stated that India's crude supply remains secure despite the fact that 45 per cent of imports previously transited the affected route. He noted that "Non-Hormuz sourcing has risen to approximately 70 per cent of crude imports, up from 55 per cent before the conflict began". He assured the House that "There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, kerosene, and fuel oil is fully assured," with refineries operating at high capacity utilisation, sometimes "exceeding 100 per cent". 'India Has Sufficient Gas Supply Even if West Asia Conflict Prolongs', Says Hardeep Singh Puri in Lok Sabha (Watch Video).

"Domestic piped gas to homes and CNG for vehicles receive 100 per cent supply with no cuts. Industrial and manufacturing consumers will receive upto 80 per cent of their previous six-month average. Fertiliser plants will receive upto 70 per cent, protecting the agricultural input chain ahead of the sowing season. Refineries and petrochemical units absorb a managed reduction, with that gas redirected to higher-priority sectors. I am pleased to inform the House that the shortfall has been substantially offset through alternative procurement," Puri stated.

The Minister also detailed measures to protect the LPG supply for 33 crore families. Domestic LPG production has increased by 28 per cent over the last five days through refinery directives. To manage demand and prevent hoarding, the government introduced a 25-day minimum booking gap in urban areas and expanded the Delivery Authentication Code system to 90 per cent of consumers. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for India's energy security, saying that "the pain has just started."

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran is likely to have far-reaching global and domestic repercussions. Gandhi warned that the impact is already beginning to be felt across the country, claiming that restaurants are shutting down and there is growing panic among people over LPG availability. "A war has broken out in the Middle East. The United States, Israel and Iran are at war. This war is going to have far-reaching consequences. The central artery from where 20 % of the global oil flows, the Strait of Hormuz, has been closed. This is going to have tremendous repercussions, particularly for us, because a very large portion of our oil and natural gas comes through the Strait of Hormuz. The pain has just started. Restaurants are closing. There's widespread panic about LPG...This is only the beginning," Gandhi said. ‘The Pain Has Just Started’: Rahul Gandhi Warns Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Hit India’s Energy Security (Watch Video).

Gandhi further stressed that energy security forms the foundation of any nation's stability. He criticised the idea of allowing external powers to influence India's decisions regarding its energy partnerships. "The foundation of every single nation is its energy security. Allowing the United States to decide who we buy oil from, who we buy gas from, and whether we can buy oil from Russia or not...Our relationship with different oil suppliers can be decided by us. This is what has been bartered...Why a nation the size of India would allow any other nation, the President of another nation to give us permission to buy Russian oil, to decide who our relationships are with?" Gandhi said.

While the BJP launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of diverting the discussion from the LPG shortage to unrelated issues. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, saying he ignored special permission to speak on the LPG shortage and instead raised another issue. Rijiju also accused him of creating a ruckus in the House, disrupting proceedings while Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri was giving a statement.

During a press conference, Rijiju said, "Special permission was granted to Mr Rahul Gandhi. As soon as he was allowed to speak, he didn't speak on LPG, but instead began speaking on global issues...He did not speak on the subject." "When Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, was giving a statement, Rahul Gandhi again sent all his MPs to the well. They again tore the paper and threw it away and created a ruckus and the House had to be adjourned," he said. Further, Union Minister Piyush Goyal accused Rahul Gandhi of violating parliamentary rules while discussing the LPG shortage, saying he ignored the seriousness of the issue and raised baseless matters that could defame the country.

Speaking to the reporters, Goyal said, "We have once again seen the Leader of the Opposition violating all the rules and regulations of Parliament...Today, Rahul Gandhi asked for time to discuss the LPG shortage. The Speaker granted time, but once again, we saw how he ignored the seriousness of the issue and displayed irresponsibility. The Speaker has repeatedly stated that we must stick to the topic being discussed. We have seen how Rahul Gandhi does not want to follow the rules. He only wants to bring baseless issues into the House, topics that can defame the country."

"His agenda is not in the national interest; perhaps he is acting on the agenda of foreign powers. It has once again been proven that Rahul Gandhi has no interest in the proceedings of the House. Union Minister Hardeep Puri has informed the country with a very comprehensive statement. I hope the countrymen will feel confident that things are under control. There is no need to panic," he added. Congress MPs raised concerns over India's energy security and the handling of the LPG shortage, defending Rahul Gandhi's statement in Parliament and supporting his remarks on the ongoing crisis. Congress MP KC Venugopal said the Petroleum Minister was "completely compromised" and praised Rahul Gandhi for speaking the truth with evidence.

"There is an energy crisis in the country. Our petroleum minister is completely compromised; this is what he (Rahul Gandhi) has mentioned with evidence... No one can stop Rahul Gandhi from speaking the truth; he will tell the truth to the people," Venugopal told reporters. Congress MP Manish Tewari highlighted India's energy security concerns, stressing the government must safeguard both the country's oil supplies and the safety of the 48 million Indians living in the Gulf amid rising crude oil prices.

"The fundamental question is the energy security of India. From India's perspective, the core issue is how many Indian-flagged carriers or oil tankers carrying cargo for India are permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. A barrel of crude oil is now touching USD 100. Everybody would be extremely happy if a peaceful resolution is found to the conflict in the Middle East. But the government of India should primarily focus on two things. Number one, ensuring the safety and security of the very large diaspora of 48 million people who reside in the Gulf. And number two, ensuring that India's energy security is not undermined," Tewari told reporters.