Now Reading: US now supplies 67% of India’s LPG imports, says Puri
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US now supplies 67% of India’s LPG imports, says Puri
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the CII International Energy Conference that the US now accounts for about 67% of India's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports, up from an initial planned share…
The Story in Brief
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the CII International Energy Conference that the US now accounts for about 67% of India's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports, up from an initial planned share of 10%. The shift followed a supply disruption after the conflict in West Asia, where 90% of LPG and 60% of other gas imports previously transited the Strait of Hormuz. India increased domestic LPG production from 34,000 to 55,000 metric tonnes a day and expanded crude supply sources from 27 to 41 countries. Puri also dismissed reports of a levy on LPG or natural gas to fund a strategic reserve, calling them baseless. The government has approved an Rs 84,000 crore deepwater exploration programme under Samudra Manthan, covering up to 50% of drilling costs or Rs 650 crore per well for private players.
The Indian Opinion
The usual narrative of India being hostage to Gulf energy is being quietly buried. After the disruption near the Strait of Hormuz, the government ramped up domestic LPG output from 34,000 to 55,000 metric tonnes a day and diversified imports so sharply that no fuel station ran dry. Yet opposition critics still cry 'policy failure'. The real test will be whether this agility survives when global crude prices spike again and the political cost of duty cuts like the cumulative Rs 10 per litre relief is forgotten.
Sources (4): ndtvprofit.com, thehindu.com, hindustantimes.com, ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
