Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to chief ministers of states and union territories through video conferencing on Friday, March 27, news agency ANI reported on Thursday.
The virtual meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., will assess the implications of the ongoing war in West Asia for India, particularly in terms of supplies of liquefied petroleum gas and crude oil, the news agency said.
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The meeting will focus on preparedness measures, including supply chains, energy security and the safety of Indian citizens abroad, a report in India Today said. It will be held after an all-party meeting on the issue on Wednesday, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
However, the chief ministers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry will not attend the call due to the model code of conduct. Separate interaction with their principal secretaries will be through the Cabinet Secretariat to ensure continuity in planning and response mechanisms, reports said.
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In his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the Prime Minister stressed that the impact of the war could probably last longer than expected and appealed to all to cooperate. He urged state governments to ensure that India’s strong growth trajectory is maintained.
PM Modi also recalled the exemplary spirit of ‘Team India’ demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the Center and states worked together for testing, vaccination and supply of essential goods. He stressed that the same spirit needs to be demonstrated now.
The meeting comes in the middle escalating tensions in West Asiawhich disrupted critical maritime corridors and raised concerns about the security of Indian citizens in the Gulf countries.
The conflict in West Asia entered its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated after the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneiin joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing further disruption to the waterway and affecting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
Fuel supplies across the country remain steady: Govt
The government said on Thursday that fuel supplies across the country remained stable and fuel retail outlets were operating normally despite continued developments in West Asia, urging the public not to believe rumors and resort to panic buying.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, “All retail outlets are operating as normal across the country,” although there have been reports of panic buying in some areas due to rumours.
The impact of the war may probably last longer than expected and we must work together.
Public sector oil marketing companies have secured imports in advance, thus ensuring continuity of supply. Despite concerns about disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, India continues to source oil from a diverse network of more than 40 countries, reducing its dependence on any single route or region.
The ministry specified that the country has sufficient fuel reserves. “Sufficient supplies of petrol and diesel are available at all gas stations in the country,” the statement said, reiterating its advice to citizens “not to believe rumours.”
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The government also said that all refineries are operating at high capacity to ensure uninterrupted power supply. “All refineries are operating at high capacity, with adequate oil reserves,” the ministry said, adding that domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption.
With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, the government has taken several steps to maintain the supply of LPG and petroleum products across the country. The statement said LPG supply has been affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation, but domestic supply remains normal.
So far, “no drying up at LPG distributors” has been reported and “the supply of domestic LPG cylinders is normal,” the ministry said.
