New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday reiterated India's call for de-escalation in the ongoing regional conflict while assuring that adequate supplies of crude oil, petrol, diesel and LPG are available in the country. The government also said efforts are underway to safeguard maritime operations and repatriate Indian seafarers from the affected region. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently called for dialogue and restraint since the conflict began, stressing the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted transit of goods and energy. “Since the outbreak of this conflict, India has consistently called for de-escalation and for all issues to be addressed through dialogue. At the same time, one of our key priorities is to ensure the unimpeded transit of goods and energy,” Jaiswal said.

He added that India has urged all sides not to target civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, given the wider global impact of the conflict. Jaiswal said India has been in constant communication with key stakeholders in the region. “We have remained in close contact with all important interlocutors, including the Gulf Cooperation Council members, Iran, the U.S. and Israel, at various political and diplomatic levels to underline our priorities, particularly regarding energy security,” he said. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken with several counterparts in recent days, while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Indian embassies have maintained close coordination with their interlocutors.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that efforts are being made to assist Indian seafarers and maintain smooth maritime operations. Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha said that in the past 24 hours, 30 Indian seafarers have been repatriated and transported safely to their respective destinations, taking the total number of repatriated seafarers to 253. He said major ports had accorded priority berthing to six LPG carriers that arrived from various parts of the world. Sinha also noted that the DG Shipping Communication Centre has been operating round the clock and handling a large volume of queries. “Over the past 15 days, the centre has received more than 2,500 phone calls and around 5,000 emails, all of which have been responded to,” he said.

Providing an update on maritime movement in the Gulf region, Sinha said that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday and are now heading towards India. Officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also assured that the country has adequate fuel supplies. Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery) Sujata Sharma said India’s crude oil supply remains sufficient and refineries are operating at full capacity. “Our crude supply is sufficient, and our refineries are operating at full capacity. There are no dry-out reports at retail outlets, and sufficient petrol and diesel are available,” she said, adding that India produces enough petrol and diesel domestically to meet its needs.

She said state governments and district administrations are closely monitoring the fuel supply situation. Sharma noted that several Chief Ministers, including those of Haryana and Goa, have already held review meetings with officials. On LPG supply, Sharma said the situation remains stable despite the geopolitical challenges, but warned against panic booking by consumers. “Yesterday, we reported around 75–76 lakh LPG bookings. That number has now increased to nearly 88 lakh. This is clearly due to panic booking,” she said, urging citizens to book cylinders only when necessary.

She clarified that booking restrictions remain in place, with a minimum gap of 25 days between bookings in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas. Sharma also appealed to consumers to use digital platforms for LPG bookings and avoid visiting distributors or standing in queues. “There is no need for panic — neither for booking nor for cylinders. Oil marketing companies are delivering cylinders to homes and will continue to do so,” she added.

--IANS