Senior officials from multiple ministries on Monday briefed the media on measures taken by the Centre in response to the ongoing West Asia conflict, highlighting food security preparedness and evacuation efforts. 

The government said that it has sufficient stocks of wheat and rice to meet the requirement of the public distribution system (PDS) and any exigencies. It has also asked the state governments to crackdown on hoarding and black marketing of essential food items. 

C. Shikha, joint secretary in Department of Food and Public Distribution, said the government is closely monitoring food security, with current reserves at about 222 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and 380 LMT of rice, totalling nearly 602 LMT, around three times the prescribed buffer norms. 

The National Food Security Act continues to support vulnerable populations, while the Open Market Sales Scheme is being used to stabilise prices through calibrated market releases. States are also being supplied subsidised rice for additional distribution. 

Wheat procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) has commenced through state agencies, with preparedness under constant review. The government is ensuring adequate availability of packaging material through diversified sourcing and contingency planning. 

Govt monitoring prices, supply chains 

Anupam Mishra, Anupam Mishra, Additional Secretary in Department of Consumer Affairs, said the Department of Consumer Affairs is closely tracking the food situation, focusing on price movements, supply availability, and preventing hoarding and black marketing under the Essential Commodities Act. 

LPG supply remains adequate 

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Petroleum Ministry, said the government has assured that LPG supply remains adequate, with additional cargoes already secured to meet rising demand. Oil and gas companies, including their senior leadership, have been closely monitoring the situation over the past two days while state governments are conducting regular reviews to ensure smooth distribution and curb any instances of hoarding or black marketing. She added that there is no shortage at LPG distributorships and supply operations are continuing uninterrupted at scale.  

Around 50 lakh LPG cylinders are being delivered daily, with online bookings reaching a record 97%. To prevent diversion, OTP-based delivery authentication has been widely implemented, now covering nearly 90% of supplies. Distributors are also operating on holidays and Sundays to ensure seamless and convenient access for consumers. 

India steps up diplomatic engagement, evacuation efforts 

Randhir Jaiswal, Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been in touch with his counterparts from Qatar, the UAE, and Iran to discuss the evolving situation. 

India has so far evacuated 1,777 nationals from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes 895 students and 345 fishermen, many of whom have already returned home. Fishermen arrived in Chennai on March 4. 

Of the total evacuees, 1,545 crossed into Armenia and 234 into Azerbaijan. India also assisted two foreign nationals, from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and expressed gratitude to Iran, Armenia, and Azerbaijan for their support. 

Shipping operations remain normal 

Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, with no incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels reported in the past 24 hours. 

Over the past two days, two Indian vessels, Green Sanghvi and Green Asha, carrying LPG have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, 16 Indian-flagged vessels are operating in the western Persian Gulf region, with 433 Indian seafarers onboard.