Panic buying of petrol, diesel and LPG is on the rise amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East and uncertainty over fuel supplies. This energy crisis seems to be taking a toll on the lives of citizens while the government claims that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) across the country.
The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a major waterway that serves as a conduit for 40% of India’s oil imports, has disrupted shipping and gas supplies.
Social media response amid the ongoing global energy crisis
Several users on the internet shared their situation on X with scenes of long queues of motorists at petrol pumps. Videos of chaos at petrol stations in Hyderabad, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kutch, Nagpur and Indore and other cities are going viral as customers can wait for long hours to fill up their vehicles due to concerns about future fuel supply.
Read also | Petrol, diesel prices in your city today: Check fuel prices on March 25
A user wrote: “I booked a cylinder on March 15th. 11 days and still not delivered. As of now, a NO STOCK sign has appeared at an Indian oil pump just 100m from my residence.”
Another user asked: “People are queuing at a petrol pump in India in the middle of a global fuel crisis due to the war in West Asia. Is this due to fuel shortages or are people piling up in panic?”
A third user asked about the fuel shortage situation in Hyderabad, to which the user replied, “Yes, it’s true, today at 7:30 am I traveled to office and found heavy traffic at every petrol pump.”
Another commented: “The HP gas pump at my house is closed today. So it looks like it is.”
A third comment read: “Yes, even when I was sending my daughter to school, the petrol pump next to my house is packed with queues up to 500 meters away.”
Read also | Petrol and Diesel Prices March 24: Check fuel prices in your city today
Another user wrote: “While the government keeps announcing sufficient petrol supplies, but this morning all uniform petrol supplies are sold out and closed. I went to 3 fuel pumps 1 has a board with no petrol, the others have a very big que (sic).”
People queued up at the Ahmedabad petrol station on March 24 amid fears of possible supply disruption.(REUTERS)
There is no shortage of petrol, diesel and LPG, says the Telangana government
Amid recent reports of long queues and temporary “No Stock” boards, Telangana’s Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies Department on Tuesday clarified that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or domestic LPG anywhere in the state.
A sudden rush of consumers and panic buying fueled by false rumors led to a temporary shortage at gas pumps, according to the report. Warning of hoarding, black-marketing and illegal fuel diversion, the report said: “When citizens unnecessarily rush to fill their tanks to full capacity, it creates an artificial shortage even though sufficient fuel is available in storage.”
Read also | India’s LPG conversion story: At the end of the pipeline?
Apart from blaming panic buying, the report further noted that recent administrative changes regarding advance payment models by oil marketing companies (OMCs) have caused minor temporary logistical adjustments for some local retailers.
The Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association also issued a notification on Wednesday in this regard. It reads: “due to the spread of false and misleading news Date: 03/25/2026. about fuel shortages, many people are rushing to gas stations and needlessly filling up their tanks. This panic buying has led to an abnormal increase in sales – almost 2.5 to 3 times normal levels – resulting in temporary stockouts at several retail outlets across the country.”
Notification of Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association issued on 25th March.
Hindustan Petroleum on Wednesday dropped the advisory, including Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Nizamabad RO, and urged customers not to be fooled by rumors and resort to panic buying. At the same time, they provided assurances that fuel stocks remain stable and sufficient supplies are available.
As India seeks to diversify its fuel supplies amid disruptions to global energy markets caused by the Iran-US-Israel conflict, it is set to see a 46% daily drop in LPG imports since February, bringing imports to 1.190 million metric tons, Reuters reported, citing traders and ship-tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an order on Tuesday indicating that LPG and natural gas supply constraints are expected to continue due to the “evolving global energy environment”. To address “long-term challenges,” it seeks to strengthen the infrastructure for the distribution of natural gas and petroleum products by expanding and building pipelines across the country. The measures come in the wake of shutdowns of liquefaction facilities in the Persian Gulf supplying India and the ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
