The government and state-run oil marketing companies on Wednesday issued a series of public statements assuring citizens that petrol, diesel and LPG supplies remain adequate across the country, amid rising instances of panic buying triggered by the West Asia crisis.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, along with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), urged consumers to avoid hoarding and rely only on verified information.

Sujata Sharma, joint secretary (marketing & oil Refinery), said India has sufficient refining capacity and fuel availability, even as queues were reported at petrol pumps in several cities over the past two days.

“We have the capacity to refine approximately 26 crore tonnes of crude oil annually. There is no shortage at any petrol pump, and terminals supplying fuel are adequately stocked. Do not believe rumours and avoid panic buying,” she said, adding that there has been no increase in petrol or diesel prices.

Coordinated messaging from oil PSUs

Public sector oil companies also issued similar statements, assuring stable supply and uninterrupted operations across their networks.

Indian Oil said its outlets across the country are “well-stocked and functioning normally”, warning that unverified rumours could lead to unnecessary disruption in supply chains.

BPCL said its refineries, terminals and logistics systems are operating continuously to ensure steady availability nationwide, including in key urban centres, and that retail outlets are being replenished regularly.

HPCL, in its statement, said there is “no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG anywhere in the country”, urging customers to avoid unnecessary bookings and ignore misleading claims about supply constraints or price hikes.

Panic-driven demand spikes

The statements come after reports of long queues at fuel stations in parts of the country, as consumers rushed to stock up amid concerns over potential supply disruptions due to escalating tensions in West Asia.

Officials indicated that the surge in demand was driven by panic rather than any underlying shortage, with supply chains continuing to function normally.