Amidst the ongoing speculation regarding the prices of petrol and diesel, the government has made it clear that at present there is no proposal to increase the prices. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Petroleum Ministry, said that at present the focus is on providing relief to consumers and there is no plan to increase prices.
On the other hand, the impact of the global situation is clearly visible on maritime trade as well. According to port and shipping official Mukesh Mangal, there has been a huge decline in the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war. While before the war, about 138 ships used to run on this route daily, now this number has come down to only 67. This decline represents a major reduction in maritime traffic and could have an impact on international supply chains.
According to officials, no Indian flagged container ship has passed through this route in recent times. It is clear from this that due to security reasons, Indian ships are maintaining distance from this sensitive route.
Regarding information about foreign container ships, the ministry said that this is commercial data, which cannot be made public. Therefore, the government does not have complete information in this regard.
The government also said that despite the current situation, all Indian sailors are safe and there is no news of any accident so far.
There remains uncertainty regarding fuel prices amid global tensions and fluctuations in crude oil prices. At present the government has given relief, but in the coming time the decisions may change depending on the international situation.
