Page 42 - West Asia

Gas supply jitters begin rattling industry pockets across key sectors

LPG and natural gas shortages are beginning to disrupt parts of Indian industry, though most sectors say production remains largely stable for now

Don't panic, fuel cargoes on the way, says govt as supplies tighten

India will soon receive two cargoes each of crude oil and LNG via routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz as refiners boost LPG production to ease supply pressures

West Asia crisis forces leaner menus at India's peak wedding season

LPG shortages linked to the West Asia conflict are forcing caterers to trim menus and guest lists as India heads into the peak April-May wedding season

Long days, longer nights: Seafarers trapped in West Asia navigate a war

Shared meals, regular work schedules, communication with families seeing them through uncertainty

Manufacturing-led capacity additions likely to touch Rs 3.6 trn in FY26

India's capacity additions are expected to touch nearly Rs 3.6 trillion in March FY26, led by manufacturing projects, though geopolitical tensions in West Asia could cloud future private investments

Opposition CMs urge PM to ensure cooking gas supply isn't disrupted

Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised Congress over the West Asia crisis as chief ministers urged the Centre to ensure LPG supply and evacuate Indians

Iran war: Fiscal pressures on govt may mount next FY, say experts

A prolonged West Asia conflict could strain India's fiscal position through higher fertiliser subsidies, rising import costs and weaker revenue growth

EAM Jaishankar speaks to Sergey Lavrov after US' Russian oil waiver

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Russia's Sergey Lavrov and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as the West Asia conflict disrupts energy supplies

LPG shortage forces Infosys to limit catering services on campuses

Food courts at Infosys campuses in Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai will operate with limited menus as LPG supply curbs linked to the West Asia crisis disrupt catering operations

Iran warns oil could hit $200 a barrel amid threat of continuous strikes

"We won't allow even one litre of oil to reach the US, Zionists (Israel) and their partners. Any vessel or tanker bound to them will be a legitimate target," Ebrahim Zolfaqari said

IEA to release record 400 million barrels of oil from stockpiles

The IEA, which co-ordinates stockpile releases for OECD countries, has said its 32 members hold more than 1.2 billion barrels in public emergency stockpiles

India's Russian oil buy surges 50% amid scramble to replace lost barrels

India's purchase of Russian crude oil has surged 50 per cent in March as New Delhi tapped alternate sources to make up for the shortfall arising from disruption in the Middle East amid a widening military conflict. India bought about 1.5 million barrels of Russian oil this month, up from 1.04 million bpd in February, ship tracking data showed. India, the world's third-largest crude importer, sources 88 per cent of its oil needs from abroad. It consumes 5.8 million barrels per day, of which 2.5-2.7 million barrels came from Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz. The chokepoint also carried 55 per cent of India's cooking gas (LPG) and 30 per cent of liquefied natural gas (LNG), used for power, fertilizers, CNG, and household cooking. The ongoing conflict has largely halted shipments through the strait, forcing India to seek alternative crude sources from Russia. "India was expected to import around 2.6 million barrels per day of crude vi

High oil prices may intensify pressure on Indian oil companies: Moody's

Rising global oil prices may intensify financial pressure on India's state-owned oil companies as retail fuel prices remain largely unchanged, says Moody's

Govt fully geared to meet coal demand surge amid West Asia crisis

Amid escalating tensions in West Asia threatening global energy supplies, the government on Wednesday said it is fully prepared to meet any unprecedented surge in coal demand, with overall coal stocks at about 210 million tonne -- adequate for around 88 days. This year, coal production and supply have outpaced consumption, leading to record-high stocks at thermal power plants and coal mines. Supplies to the non-regulated sector are up nearly 14 per cent over the previous year. Pithead coal stocks at mines of Coal India Ltd (CIL) stood at 106.78 million tonne (MT) on April 1, 2025, rising to 121.39 MT as of March 9 this year. Further, there is around 6.07 MT of coal at the mines of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), another 15.12 MT at captive, commercial mines, and about 14 MT in transit, totalling 156.58 MT, the highest ever. This stock is in addition to the coal which is already available at power plants, which is around 54.05 MT as on March 9, 2026, adequate for near

Two Indians dead, one missing after attacks on vessels in Gulf region: MEA

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the incidents involved Indian nationals working on merchant ships and that authorities are monitoring the situation

Shell declares force majeure on Asia LNG deals after Qatar plant shutdown

Shell has an equity partnership with QatarEnergy in the massive Ras Laffan LNG plant, the largest single plant in the world, which shut down last week following a drone attack on the facility

UP Police recover 524 stolen LPG cylinders in Jhansi, arrest seven

Police have arrested seven men after an encounter and recovered more than 500 LPG cylinders stolen during the Holi festivities in Jhansi, an official said on Wednesday. Following a tip-off, the police arrested Javed, Aamir, Ritik, Sumit, Shubhankar, Abhishek and Surendra, all residents of Jhansi, on early Wednesday near a gas warehouse on the Gwalior Road, Senior Superintendent of Police B B G T S Murthy said. The police also recovered Rs 11.10 lakh in cash and Rs 83,820 believed to be proceeds from the sale of cylinders, from their possession, he said. According to the police, the truck driver, Rajkumar, had parked the vehicle loaded with 524 filled LPG cylinders outside the Bharat Petroleum depot in the Sipri Bazar area on March 2 before leaving for his home to celebrate Holi. When he returned on March 6, the truck was missing, following which the owner, Neeraj Agrawal, lodged a complaint. The truck was later found abandoned in the Baragaon area, with its damaged GPS, police sai

India crude supplies secure, govt has stepped up fuel management: Official

A petroleum ministry official said refineries are currently operating at full capacity to meet energy demand, while measures are being taken to stabilise gas and LPG supply

India's low energy stockpiles pose risk amid West Asia conflict: S&P

S&P Global Ratings warns India's limited strategic energy reserves and heavy import dependence heighten vulnerability to supply disruptions in West Asia

West Asia conflict: Bengaluru LPG consumers engage in panic booking

Panic enquiries for domestic LPG cylinders have risen at several gas agencies in Bengaluru in the past few days amid concerns over supply disruptions due to the widening West Asia conflict, though dealers said on Wednesday that stocks are adequate as of now. However, there is an acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing several hotels and restaurants in the city to operate under strain, an LPG dealer told PTI. Hotel and restaurant owners reiterated that they would be forced to shut down once their stock is exhausted. A representative of Indane distributor, Sri Giridhar Agencies, said there has been no disruption in the supply of LPG cylinders for domestic use. "Every day we have been receiving loads. There is no disruption in supply. However, we have been getting numerous panic calls from customers enquiring whether there is sufficient stock. Calls for bookings have also gone up," the representative, who did not wish to be identified, said. He assured customers that adeq