India's energy security now backed by strong systems, diversified oil sourcing: Former BPCL Marketing Director
New Delhi, July 1
India's energy security has evolved into a robust and resilient system supported by diversified crude oil imports, expanded refining capacity and coordinated crisis management, former Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Marketing Director Sukhmal Kumar Jain said.
Jain said the government has significantly strengthened the country's energy ecosystem by diversifying crude oil import sources, expanding refining capacity, developing strategic petroleum reserves and enhancing coordination among public sector oil marketing companies.
"During periods of global uncertainty and supply disruptions, continuous monitoring, alternative supply arrangements and timely decision-making ensured that the availability of petrol, diesel and LPG remained unaffected across the country," he said.
According to Jain, India maintained regular engagement with all its international energy partners to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies. He said the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, shipping agencies and oil companies worked in close coordination, with the primary objective of preventing any disruption to energy supplies. As a result of this proactive diplomacy and coordinated efforts, LPG cargoes continued to reach India safely.
"We also explored LPG imports significantly from Argentina, the United States, Algeria, and Japan. As a result, consumers across the country, around 33 crore LPG households and nearly 8 crore petrol pump customers, did not face any major difficulties in supply," he said.
"The first priority was ensuring availability, which is a key factor for any commodity. The second factor is affordability. As we all know, global crude prices increased by almost 150 per cent," Jain added.
Jain said coordination among government ministries, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, gas companies and state governments emerged as the biggest strength during challenging periods. Regular review meetings helped authorities monitor the situation closely, maintain adequate fuel stocks and communicate accurate information to the public, preventing panic buying or unnecessary stockpiling.
He further said that over the past 11 years, India has made substantial investments in refinery modernisation, pipeline infrastructure, LNG terminals, city gas distribution networks and strategic petroleum reserves. These investments, he added, have significantly enhanced the country's preparedness to deal with supply disruptions.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I remember during the Ukraine war start, people were scared that LPG prices would skyrocket or we'd run out of cylinders. But the govt managed it well actually. Bringing LPG from Japan and Algeria is something I never imagined. 33 crore households not suffering is a huge achievement.
Good analysis by Jain sir. But I'd still say the affordability factor could have been handled better. When crude was at $130, our petrol prices didn't drop as fast when crude fell to $80 later. The pricing transparency is still a work in progress. Hope we move to something more rational.
It's great that India is finally treating energy security as a strategic priority. The investments in LNG terminals and pipeline infrastructure will help us for decades. My only concern is that we should simultaneously invest more in renewables. We can't keep depending on fossil fuels forever.
Interesting perspective from a former BPCL marketing director. I've worked in oil & gas in the US, and India's approach to diversifying supply sources and building strategic reserves is genuinely impressive. The coordination between MEA, petroleum ministry, and PSUs during the Russia-Ukraine crisis was textbook crisis management.
As someone who runs a small transport business, fuel availability is everything to me. During the 2022 crisis, I didn't face any disruption in diesel supply even once. That's a big improvement from 2008 when I had to wait hours in queues. Kudos to the entire team including Mr Jain.
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