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Bharat Petroleum sends SMS alerts, denies any fuel shortage in India as US and Israel's conflict with Iran spreads
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has also sought to allay public concerns amid rising uncertainty about energy availability
India's major public-sector company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has assured customers of fuel availability amid social media panic over shortages, while the US-Iran conflict engulfs West Asia.
In a message sent to many customers as SMS alerts in both English and Hindi, BPCL said the social media claims of a fuel shortage were “misleading and baseless”.
"Dear Valued Customer, claims of shortage in fuel supply circulating on social media are misleading and baseless. There is adequate availability of fuel in the country. Citizens are assured that there is no need for any concern. Using fuel wisely always helps,” the state-run oil giant said in the message.
BPCL’s clarification comes when the union government is trying to contain panic amid the public as the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began a week ago, have plunged the West Asian region into a war. Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases in the region, along with missile and drone strikes aimed at Israel.
Iranian strikes have also hit oil and natural gas infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq and other countries.
The Strait of Hormuz, the route for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, is effectively closed, which is causing further distress.
Union government says ‘no shortage of energy in India’
Amid rising uncertainty about energy availability, union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Friday sought to allay public concerns. He stated that there is “no shortage of energy in India” and that there is no reason for consumers to worry amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
"In my regular interaction with members of the fourth estate today, we discussed various aspects of India’s uninterrupted energy imports despite geopolitical challenges. Our priority is to ensure the availability of affordable and sustainable fuel for our citizens, and we are doing it comfortably. There is no shortage of energy in India and there is no cause of worry for our energy consumers,” he said in a post on X.
Government sources cited by ANI described India’s oil, petroleum products, and LPG supplies as in a “very comfortable position”.
Officials highlighted that India has significantly diversified its crude import basket over the past few years.
Since 2022, imports from Russia have risen sharply. In February, around 20 per cent of India’s total crude imports — roughly 1.04 million barrels per day — came from Moscow.
State-run Indian Oil Corporation dismissed social media posts alleging fuel shortages as “baseless”, asserting that stocks are sufficient and distribution networks are functioning normally. The company urged citizens not to panic or crowd fuel stations and to rely on official sources for accurate information.
The sources added that all major refineries, including LPG units, have been instructed to increase output to ensure adequate availability nationwide. India has also started importing LPG from the United States, with public sector firms signing a one-year contract in November 2025 to purchase around 2.2 million tonnes per annum from the US Gulf Coast for 2026.
