The planned dedication of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21, 2026, has been postponed after a fire broke out near the crude distillation unit, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Monday. 

The ministry said the fire has been brought under control and no casualties have been reported. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident and identify corrective measures. 

A fresh date for the Prime Minister’s visit and dedication ceremony will be announced later. 

“Due to an unfortunate fire incident today in the vicinity of the Crude Distillation Unit at the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) refinery, the scheduled dedication of the refinery by the Prime Minister on 21.04.2026 has been postponed. The fire has been brought under control. There are no reports of any casualties,” the ministry said in a post on X. 

Refinery project at a glance

The refinery project, developed as a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) and the Rajasthan government, has been built at an investment of over ₹79,450 crore. 

With a capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), the integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex is one of India’s key energy infrastructure projects. 

The government has said the refinery will play a major role in strengthening India’s energy security and improving petrochemical self-sufficiency, at a time when the country continues to depend on imports for several key feedstocks. 

Beyond refining operations, the complex is expected to serve as an anchor for a proposed petrochemical and plastic park in the region, which could spur downstream industries and ancillary manufacturing units across western Rajasthan. 

The project is also expected to generate significant employment opportunities, with an estimated 90,000 people likely to benefit directly and indirectly. Sectors such as pharmaceuticals, paints, packaging, logistics, and transport are expected to gain from the development, supporting wider economic activity across multiple districts in the state. 

Officials also said that the project is “poised to generate significant employment opportunities,” contributing to local economic development and supporting small and medium enterprises linked to the petrochemical value chain.