PM Modi holds high-level meeting on fuel, power and fertiliser supply amid West Asia conflict

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a high-level meeting with senior ministers to assess the availability of crude oil, natural gas and other petroleum products, along with the status of power and fertiliser sectors, amid the evolving situation in West Asia.

According to government sources, the review focused on maintaining uninterrupted supplies, ensuring stable logistics and strengthening distribution systems across the country.

Union ministers including Rajnath Singh (Defence), Amit Shah (Home), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture), S. Jaishankar, Nirmala Sitharaman, J P Nadda (Health), Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry) and Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways) attended the meeting, sources said.

Other attendees included Sarbananda Sonowal (Ports and Shipping), Manohar Lal Khattar (Power), Pralhad Joshi (Food and Consumer Affairs), Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation) and Hardeep Singh Puri (Petroleum), along with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and the Prime Minister’s principal secretaries, P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das.

Sources said the discussions reviewed the impact of the West Asia conflict on crude, gas, petroleum products, as well as power and fertiliser supplies. The government, they added, is taking proactive steps to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential commodities, including fuel.

The meeting also evaluated the broader global situation arising from the conflict and examined measures aimed at safeguarding both consumers and industry, which remain a key priority.

Earlier, on March 12, Modi had observed that the war in West Asia has led to a global energy crisis, calling it a test of national resolve that must be addressed with patience, peace and public awareness. He stressed that the government is continuously working to mitigate disruptions in global supply chains.

"Continuous efforts are also underway to determine how we can overcome the disruptions that have occurred in the supply chain," Modi had said.

Since the conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, followed by retaliatory actions from Iran targeting Israel and several Gulf nations, Modi has been in touch with multiple world leaders.

Iran controls the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 per cent of global energy supplies pass. Following the conflict, Iran has allowed only limited shipping movement through the route.

The disruption has significantly affected global energy flows, including supplies to India. In response, Modi has held telephonic discussions with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France, Malaysia, Israel and Iran.