Amid geopolitical tensions and supply risks, the Centre has increased the number of countries from which it sources liquefied natural gas (LNG) from six to 15. The move also aims to ease the situation in view of maritime transit challenges.
The country has also widened its crude oil sourcing portfolio from 27 countries to 41, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a written reply to an unstarred question.
"This diversification has reduced dependence on any particular country, region or transit route and enhanced India's ability to manage supply disruptions and market volatility," Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said in the reply.
The expansion in LNG sourcing is the key new disclosure in the reply. The increase in crude oil sourcing to 41 countries had been disclosed earlier by the government amid disruptions to energy shipments through West Asia.
The ministry said it continuously monitors threats that could disrupt energy supplies and assesses global supply conditions in consultation with public-sector oil and gas companies and other stakeholders.
"Government, in consultation with Public Sector Oil and Gas Companies and other stakeholders, continuously assesses global supply conditions and acts appropriately to ensure uninterrupted availability of crude oil, LNG and petroleum products," the reply said.
The government also outlined plans to increase India's strategic petroleum storage capacity. Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited has established three strategic petroleum reserve facilities with a combined capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes of crude oil in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
With inputs from ANI
