New Delhi: Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fathali’s words of reassurance that India will receive safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will certainly gladden Indian hearts. The Iranian envoy to India told reporters that “changes would be seen in two-three hours,” suggesting that ships carrying Indian oil and Indian nationals may be safe while going through the Strait.

The reality isn’t that simple. India is dependent on 40% of its oil from the Strait of Hormuz, but there’s a catch. Energy experts say that Indian ships do not pick up oil from the Strait but have so far outsourced it to foreign tankers.

The main reason for this is insurance. Due to the Strait being so geopolitically sensitive, insurance costs are very high, and therefore Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) or BPCL prefer to outsource it.

There is another advantage to outsourcing the oil to foreign tankers – Indian oil companies do not have to own the fleet.

India could attach its flag to the foreign tankers, but naval regulations state that there must be a minimum number of Indian crew members on the ship, along with other regulations that have to be met before the Indian flag can be put on the tanker.

If there is no flag, there is no way that an Iranian ship can detect if a ship is carrying Indian oil or not.

Coming to Indian crew members, India is one of the top three nations in the world that supplies sailors.

Government data shows the number of Indian sailors has grown from around 1.25 lakh a decade ago to more than three lakh now. Indians now comprise around 10–12% of the total number of sailors in the world.

The problem for India is that most of the Indian crew members work on oil tankers, containers, LPG vessels and bulk carriers on foreign tankers and are at great risk when naval warfare takes place.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has confirmed three Indian seafarers died, with four others injured in maritime attacks around the strait amid escalating hostilities. Naval experts believe the figure is likely to be much higher.

Despite these problems, some level of coordination seems to be taking place between India and Iran.

Agency reports said that on Thursday, the Suezmax tanker Shenlong, carrying Saudi crude, arrived at a port in Mumbai after transiting the strait. The Liberia-flagged vessel was the first crude carrier to reach India from the Middle East since the war between Iran and the United States and Israel broke out in late February, according to LSEG data.

The customer is state-run Bharat Petroleum Corp.

But the lack of a formal agreement between the Iranian Navy and tankers carrying Indian oil suggests the Iranian envoy’s assurance does not guarantee a safe maritime corridor.

An MEA official says talks are on to make this happen, but so far Iran has not provided such assurance. In turn, Iran wants assurance from New Delhi that it will provide a joint statement from BRICS nations condemning the US-Israeli aggression.

India currently holds the chairmanship of BRICS, and so far there has been no joint statement. This has not been viewed well by Iran, which is a full member of BRICS.

New Delhi, March 12: Amid the ongoing controversy over LPG shortages and rising fuel prices, the Congress party sparked debate on social media after sharing a post on platform X that criticised the government. However, the party later deleted the post following widespread criticism for using an old photo.

The post featured an image carrying the slogan “Modi Hai To Mumkin Hai,” with a caption below that read “Modi ki line lagao yojana,” suggesting people were being forced to stand in long queues for LPG cylinders. Soon after it was posted, several users pointed out that the photograph used in the post was reportedly from 2011, leading to criticism of the Congress for sharing an outdated image to highlight the current issue.

Following the backlash, the party quietly removed the post from its social media account.

Meanwhile, protests against the recent hike in LPG prices have continued in several parts of the country. In Karnataka’s Mandya district, members of the District Congress Committee along with its women’s wing staged a protest against the Union government, condemning the increase in domestic and commercial LPG cylinder prices.

On March 7, oil marketing companies raised the price of a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 60, while the price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder was increased by Rs 114.50 to Rs 115. The hike has largely been attributed to rising global energy costs amid escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has also announced a statewide protest across all districts on Thursday, demanding that the Centre immediately roll back the recent LPG price hike. The party accused the government of failing to adequately plan fuel and gas supplies at a time when global markets are facing uncertainty due to the West Asia crisis.

Even as protests continue, the Congress is also preparing for internal organisational activities. The party is set to hold a two-day residential training workshop in Trimbakeshwar starting Thursday for candidates from the North Maharashtra division who recently contested local body elections.

Meanwhile, government officials have cautioned against panic buying and hoarding of LPG cylinders. Authorities said that misinformation circulating on social media has led to unnecessary panic bookings.

Officials urged citizens to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified claims regarding LPG shortages.

At a joint briefing by the Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Petroleum, officials said India’s domestic LPG production has been increased by nearly 25 per cent following government directives aimed at boosting output.

Sujata Sharma, speaking during the briefing, said that additional LPG cargo shipments are currently on their way to India and are expected to arrive within the next one or two days.

She also noted that India imports nearly 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, with about 90 per cent of these imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Currently, LPG is being directed primarily towards the domestic sector. For non-domestic LPG, priority is being given to essential services such as hospitals and educational institutions,” Sharma said.

She added that a committee is working with state authorities and industry representatives to ensure that the available LPG supply is distributed in a fair and transparent manner across the country.

Patna, March 11: As fears of shortage of LPG and petroleum products triggered panic buying across Bihar, the Bihar Police stepped in to manage the situation and issued an alert directing authorities to prevent chaos and hoarding. Although the government has stated that LPG stocks are sufficient and there is no need to panic, anxiety remains high among residents.

According to officials, the Special Branch of the Bihar Police issued an alert letter directing authorities to increase police patrols around petrol pumps and LPG agencies to prevent chaos and hoarding.

The directive was sent to Divisional Commissioners, Range IGs/DIGs, District Magistrates, and district police chiefs across the state.

The letter warned that tensions in West Asia, particularly involving Iran and the United States, could impact the supply of petroleum products, potentially causing panic buying.

Authorities were asked to remain vigilant against crowds, hoarding, and black marketing and to ensure law and order near fuel distribution points.

Bihar usually receives around 2.5 lakh LPG cylinders daily, including domestic and commercial cylinders supplied to homes, hotels, restaurants, schools, and hostels.

However, gas agencies claim that fresh supplies have not reached many areas for the past three days, meaning that only existing stock is currently being distributed.

In several districts, booking of commercial LPG cylinders has been temporarily stopped, while domestic consumers are waiting for hours to obtain cylinders.

Long lines have been reported outside gas agencies in multiple districts, including Gopalganj, Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Araria, West Champaran, Purnea, Supaul and other districts.

Consumers, including women and elderly residents, have been seen standing in queues from early morning, with many returning home empty-handed.

To control the situation, the government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, which allows authorities to regulate supply and prevent hoarding of essential items such as fuel and food.

Under the current measures, a second domestic cylinder can only be booked after 25 days of the previous delivery. OTP or biometric verification has been made mandatory during delivery, and oil refineries have been directed to increase LPG production.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has also formed a high-level committee of executive directors from three state-run oil companies to continuously monitor supplies.

Meanwhile, residents in the Koira block of Katihar district have alleged that some gas agencies are secretly selling cylinders at inflated prices.

According to locals, while the official LPG cylinder price is around Rs 1,012, some cylinders are allegedly being sold in the black market for Rs 1,500–Rs 2,000.

Consumers claim that agencies often tell regular customers that stocks are exhausted while selling cylinders privately at higher prices.

The fear of supply disruption has been further fueled by rumours linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Many families are reportedly trying to stockpile LPG cylinders, which has worsened the shortage.

With complaints of shortages and alleged black marketing increasing, district administrations — particularly in Katihar — are under pressure to take strict action against hoarders and ensure fair distribution.

Residents say that unless the administration acts quickly, illegal trading and black marketing of LPG cylinders may continue, leaving ordinary consumers to bear the brunt of the crisis.