The ongoing tension in the Middle East has created an oil and gas crisis all over the world. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, which transports 20 percent of the world's energy. The heat of this crisis caused by tension has reached India, which is the world's third largest oil importer. India imports about 40-50 percent of its crude oil via Hormuz. Still, the impact of this war is less visible in the Indian markets as compared to other countries.
India's strong diplomacy has found ways even in the midst of the biggest international crisis that has arisen since the Second World War. When big countries of the world are in trouble, India has bypassed this problem by working with small, unknown countries. The Petroleum Ministry said at the beginning of the week that the availability of crude oil, LPG and LNG in India has improved significantly compared to the last one month.
Small countries of Africa are behind this change. Officials said that India has diversified its sourcing of crude oil and gas to meet the shortfall created by the blockage in the Strait of Hormuz. Also, priority is being given to the supply of LPG and LNG, so that there is no adverse impact on the common people and essential areas. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Petroleum Ministry, said, “Energy availability has definitely improved and we are in a much better position now than we were a month ago.”
India imports 5.5-5.6 million barrels of crude oil every day. Before the war, 40-45 percent of its water came from the Strait of Hormuz. In the case of LPG, India meets about 60 percent of its annual demand of 31 million tonnes through imports, out of which 90 percent of the gas comes through this route.
Whereas the consumption of natural gas is 191 mmscmd, out of which 51 percent is imported and about 60 percent of it comes from Middle East countries. Another official said that India is in contact with America, Russia, Canada, Norway and West African countries like Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Congo and Angola for LPG and supplies from many of these countries have also started coming to India. Countries like Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique have been contacted for LNG.
At the same time, Saudi and UAE are sending some part of their supplies through pipelines that bypass Hormuz. Saudi Arabia's East-West (Yanbu) Pipeline and UAE's Habshan-Fujairah Pipeline. These supplies have provided some relief, due to which India is able to continue taking some quantity of supplies from this region despite the maritime obstructions.
During the ongoing deal negotiations with America, there was a slowdown in India's imports from Russia in December 2025 and January-February 2026. War has flared up again in the Middle East, because America has given India 30 days exemption to buy Russian oil. Under which permission was granted to purchase banned oil already present in the sea. That means, India can take oil from the ships which had left Russia with oil. India's purchase of crude oil from Russia in March increased by 90 percent compared to February, while total imports declined by about 15 percent due to disruption in energy supplies from West Asia.
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