India's Energy Security Under Stress: PM Reviews Oil and Gas Supply Amid West Asia Conflict
The Prime Minister chaired a high-level review of India's oil and gas supply situation as the Iran war entered its eleventh day, creating disruptions to global energy supply chains.
The government invoked the Essential Commodities Act to regulate LPG production and distribution, preventing hoarding and ensuring equitable supply to households.
Domestic LPG output was boosted by approximately 10% as refineries and petrochemical units were directed to maximise LPG production and divert hydrocarbon streams to the LPG pool.
Analysts warned that India's crude oil import dependence — nearly 89% of domestic consumption — leaves the country structurally vulnerable to supply disruptions caused by geopolitical conflicts in West Asia.
India imports approximately 2.6 million barrels per day of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, accounting for roughly 50% of total crude imports, creating a concentrated chokepoint risk.
India's Hydrocarbon Import Dependence: The Structural Vulnerability
India is the world's third-largest consumer and importer of crude oil. As of FY2025-26, India's oil import dependence reached approximately 88.6% of total consumption, with domestic production accounting for only about 13% of supply needs. India imports around 4.8–5.0 million barrels per day of crude oil. For natural gas, approximately 69% of India's LNG imports in 2025 came from West Asia, with nearly all of it transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Details
- Crude oil import dependence: ~88.6% (FY2025-26)
- India's average crude imports via Strait of Hormuz: ~2.6 million barrels/day (~50% of total crude imports)
- LNG import share from West Asia via Strait of Hormuz: ~69% in FY2025
- Domestic crude oil production expected to decline further to 540 kb/d by 2030 (IEA estimate)
- Top LPG import sources: UAE + Qatar (~62%), Saudi Arabia (~18%), Kuwait (~16%), USA (~10%)
India's near-total dependence on imported hydrocarbons — with half the crude and nearly 70% of LNG sourced from conflict-proximate West Asia — means any escalation near the Strait of Hormuz triggers immediate supply stress, forcing emergency government intervention.
Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Critical Energy Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, approximately 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. It is classified by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) as the world's most important oil transit chokepoint. In 2024, oil flow through the strait averaged 20 million barrels per day (b/d), equivalent to approximately 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. Approximately 84% of crude oil moved through Hormuz is destined for Asian markets.
A sustained conflict near or involving Iran directly threatens the free passage of tankers through Hormuz, which would cut off India from approximately half its crude imports and nearly 70% of its LNG, triggering cascading shortages in power, fertilisers, transport fuels, and cooking gas.
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Emergency Supply Management Powers
The Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 is a central legislation enacted under Entry 33 of the Concurrent List (Seventh Schedule) of the Constitution of India. It empowers the Central Government to regulate the production, supply, distribution, and trade of commodities declared as "essential" when necessary to maintain or increase their supply, or to secure their equitable distribution at fair prices. Section 3 is the core enabling provision granting the government these regulatory powers.
By invoking the ECA for LPG, the government activated its legal authority to mandate enhanced production, prevent hoarding by intermediaries, impose supply quotas, and override commercial contracts — all critical tools during an import supply shock.
Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026: Tiered Priority Framework
Alongside the ECA invocation, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026 under the ECA framework. This order establishes a formal priority tier system for gas allocation when total supply falls below normal levels, replacing ad hoc allocation with a codified hierarchy.
The priority order effectively places household cooking (LPG, PNG) and transport (CNG) above fertilisers and industry — a deliberate policy choice to shield common citizens and food security from the supply crunch before commercial users are affected.
- India's crude oil import dependence: ~88.6% of total consumption (FY2025-26)
- India's daily crude imports via Strait of Hormuz: ~2.6 million barrels/day (~50% of total)
- India's LNG imports from West Asia via Hormuz: ~69% of total LNG imports (FY2025)
- Daily throughput of Strait of Hormuz globally: ~20 million barrels/day (2024 average)
- Global LNG trade through Hormuz: ~20% of all global LNG trade
- India's LPG domestic production as share of consumption: ~38–40% (rest imported)
- Domestic LPG production boost post-government directive: ~10% increase
- ECA enacted: 1955; constitutional basis: Concurrent List Entry 33
- West Asia conflict duration at time of PM review: 11 days (as of March 10, 2026)