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Whenever there is news of any movement in the global market from the Middle East (Gulf countries), the first fear in India is inflation, rise in crude oil and deteriorating supply chain. Will there be a shortage of petrol and diesel this time? Will we face power cuts in the coming days? If as a consumer you also have the same questions in your mind, then the latest inter-ministerial briefing of the government has come as a big relief. The direct and clear message from Delhi's power corridor is, 'There is no need to panic, our energy and fuel supply chain is completely secure.'

Complete blueprint for peak demand ready

Peak demand for electricity in summer is a big challenge. Piyush Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Energy, has made it clear that the entire masterplan to deal with this is active. Even though 75% of the country's electricity comes from thermal (coal), the government has already maintained adequate buffer stock.

The biggest trigger for this sector is that the government is going to implement 'Section 11'. This simply means that all power plants will have to work at their full capacity. New capacity of 3500 MW is being added to provide extra cushion to the grid. Besides, there is also focus on solar and wind energy (renewable). That means, from short-term to long-term, the country's power outlook is quite strong.

Supply full, refineries at 100% capacity

Sujata, Joint Secretary of the Petroleum Ministry, completely rejected the market's apprehensions regarding crude oil and gas supply. He clarified that there is going to be no cut in the supply of domestic cooking gas (LPG) or petrol and diesel.

According to the data, more than 1 lakh 5 kg LPG cylinders are being sold every day. India has ample reserves of crude oil and our refineries are operating at their full capacity without any interruption. To ensure that the wheels of industries do not stop, gas is being continuously supplied to them through the grid. At the same time, to prevent any kind of black marketing or hoarding in the market, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are continuously conducting inspections and raids on the ground.

How safe is the supply line?

It is important for sea routes (trade routes) to be safe for import-export. Additional Secretary of Ports Mukesh Mangal has assured that all Indian sailors deployed on commercial ships at sea are completely safe and their movements are being continuously monitored.

Giving an update on the geo-political front, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official Randhir said that India is keeping a close eye on the developments in the Gulf. To strengthen its 'energy security', India's Petroleum Minister has recently held an important meeting with his counterpart in Qatar. India is supporting itself as well as its neighbors like Sri Lanka. However, the government is definitely concerned about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon and the large-scale damage caused there and the safety of the Indians present there is on priority.