PNGRB, the oil regulator, which as per its enacting legislation has powers to levy fee, has levied a minimum tax of Rs 2 crore per annum on turnover that companies like GAIL and Reliance Industries earn from selling CNG to automobiles and piped natural gas to households and industries.
A senior government official confirms that Indian vessels do not require permission to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, despite regional tensions. Several Indian ships, including LPG tankers, have safely crossed the strait, ensuring continued supply of essential commodities to India.
The Indian government has waived customs duty on critical petrochemical products until June 30 to ensure supply stability and provide relief to consumers amid disruptions caused by the crisis in West Asia.
Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers have begun their journey from the Persian Gulf, navigating the Strait of Hormuz amidst regional conflict, following disruptions caused by recent tensions in the Middle East.
Petroleum minister Murli Deora discussed the idea of levy of $0.20 per million British thermal unit as cess on natural gas to mop up Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) annually for laying down the gas pipeline network with CEOs of state-run firms. The brainstorming session called to chalk out the 100-day plan for the new government also decided on launching a new Scheme of Rural LPG Distributor (Gramin LPG Vitrak), petroleum secretary R S Pandey said.
The Indian government has directed oil refineries to increase LPG production to ensure a stable supply of domestic cooking gas, amidst concerns over potential disruptions from the escalating Middle East conflict and its impact on imports.
India is well-stocked with inventories of crude oil and key petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), to deal with short-term disruptions as the war intensifies in West Asia, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.
The Union petroleum ministry has proposed a 44 per cent increase in prices of natural gas sold under the administered price mechanism by state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India Ltd.
Deora, who met Mukherjee on Monday afternoon to present his ministry's Budget wishlist, also discussed the deregulation of fuel prices.
Despite ongoing tensions in West Asia, the successful arrival of the LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' in Gujarat ensures a steady supply of liquefied petroleum gas to India, highlighting the country's efforts to secure its energy needs.
The field operations are on in the sub-Himalayan terai region stretching from the Gorakhpur district in eastern UP to Bijnore district in western UP. The two companies were given prospecting licences sometime back, he informed. The licence allows the licence holder to undertake mineral substance prospecting works within a specific area.
18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers still remain in the western Persian Gulf region
Qatar has halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after its facilities came under attack amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and squeezing feedstock availability for key domestic sectors.
US President Donald Trump's call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi signals a concerted effort to reset strained Washington-New Delhi ties, with a focus on 'big-ticket' energy and trade deals, including increased Indian imports of US LNG and LPG, and potential cooperation on small modular reactors.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
India imports nearly 60 percent of its LPG, with most cargo previously coming through the Strait of Hormuz, now closed for commercial shipping.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the West Asia conflict and its impact on energy supplies with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and EU's Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Moody's Ratings has downgraded India's growth forecast for financial year 2026-27 (FY27) to 6 per cent from 6.8 per cent, attributing the revision to weaker consumption and industrial activity, elevated energy prices, and rising input costs stemming from the West Asia conflict.
A drone designed to tranquilise violent elephants without close human contact has been unveiled, marking a significant advancement in using indigenous UAV technology for mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
The Indian government has allocated an additional 40,000 kilolitres of kerosene to states as an alternative fuel to LPG, amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The government assures a comfortable crude oil supply situation in the country.
A devastating explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Thrissur, Kerala, has resulted in at least 13 fatalities and numerous injuries. The incident occurred as the unit was preparing crackers for the upcoming Thrissur Pooram festival.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the Cabinet Committee on Security to address the impact of the West Asia conflict on Indian citizens, focusing on safeguarding them from the conflict's effects and ensuring the smooth flow of essential supplies.
Companies like Reliance Industries, which plans to produce natural gas from KG basin from 2008, will have to invite bids from consumers to discover the price of output under a new exercise adopted by the government.
24 Indian-flagged vessels with 677 Indian seafarers were currently located west of the Strait of Hormuz, and four vessels with 101 Indian seafarers were stationed east of the strategic waterway.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has emphasised India's commitment to safe maritime transit and condemned attacks on merchant shipping amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict and global energy market disruptions.
The petroleum ministry has prepared a draft Cabinet note for raising prices of natural gas produced by ONGC from fields given to it on nomination basis to Rs 3,765 per thousand cubic metres (or $1.98 per million British thermal unit) from current Rs 3,200 per thousand cubic meter ($1.68 per mmBtu). For OIL, the gas price has been proposed at Rs 4,205 per thousand cubic meters, a senior ministry official said.
Himayani Puri, daughter of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court seeking the removal of defamatory social media content linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claiming damages of Rs 10 crore.
A meeting of the Group of Ministers on freeing natural gas pricing from government control would be held next month, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Calling such reports baseless, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said there was no such move under consideration.
The government may in 'weeks' decide on raising price of natural gas produced by state-owned ONGC and Oil India by 30 per cent, petroleum secretary S Sundareshan said on Monday.
Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices have more than doubled to a record high, impacting airlines and consumers, while commercial LPG rates also see a significant increase.
West Asia conflict triggers sharp sell-off in Indian markets, with realty, banking and auto stocks leading losses amid energy shock fears.
In a first, Indian oil public sector undertakings (PSUs) finalised a one-year contract to import around 2.2 million tonnes (mt) of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US. The LPG import deal comes at a time when negotiations for an India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) are gathering steam. Earlier in the month, US President Donald Trump had said Washington and New Delhi were "pretty close" to reaching a fair trade deal.
Amidst rising Middle East tensions, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlights India's strategic dialogue with Iran to safeguard maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring India's energy security and continued oil trade.
The Indian government has refuted claims of fuel shortages, asserting that the country possesses approximately 60 days of fuel stock cover and that all petrol pumps are adequately stocked and operating normally.
Rahul Gandhi accuses the government of compromising India's energy security by allowing the US to dictate oil supply relationships, raising concerns about the impact of global conflicts on India's energy access.
Currently, the government evaluates performance of six key sectors -- crude oil, petroleum refinery, cement, electricity, finished steel and coal -- on a monthly basis.
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