India currently holds more than 250 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products, providing a buffer of about seven to eight weeks across the supply chain, government sources said on Saturday while seeking to dispel concerns about a potential energy crisis amid global uncertainties.
According to officials, the country’s stockpile, estimated at around 4,000 crore litres, is spread across multiple layers of storage infrastructure rather than being concentrated at a single facility. These include above-ground storage tanks, underground strategic caverns, pipeline systems, terminal tankage and offshore storage vessels that are part of the transit supply chain.
The reserves also include the three dedicated strategic petroleum reserve facilities located at Mangalore, Padur and Visakhapatnam, which form a critical component of India’s long-term energy security planning.
Officials said India currently has sufficient inventories of crude oil as well as refined products such as petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas to manage short-term disruptions while continuing to import energy supplies from a diverse set of global partners.
“Claims circulating that global oil supplies have stopped or that India has reserves for only 25 days are incorrect and do not reflect the actual supply and stock position,” government sources said.
According to them, India’s present supply position reflects a decade of policy-driven efforts aimed at strengthening energy security and reducing vulnerability to disruptions in global supply routes.
Officials described the existing reserves as a buffer rather than a countdown on supplies, emphasising that the stockpile exists alongside regular imports that continue to arrive through multiple shipping routes.
Even if shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz were disrupted entirely, sources said the impact on India would remain limited because the country now sources crude oil from a wider range of regions and routes.
India’s energy procurement strategy has expanded significantly over the past decade. According to officials, the country now imports crude oil from about 40 countries across six continents, compared with 27 suppliers earlier.
The expansion of supplier networks across regions such as Russia, West Africa, the Americas, Central Asia and parts of the Middle East outside the Gulf corridor has helped reduce dependence on any single maritime chokepoint.
Officials noted that only around 40 per cent of India’s crude imports currently pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while approximately 60 per cent arrive through alternative routes. This diversification, they said, has ensured continued energy supplies even during periods of geopolitical tensions or global disruptions, including the pandemic years.
India has also strengthened supply arrangements with several energy partners. In recent months, the country has entered into new supply agreements with the United States and the United Arab Emirates to secure stable long-term energy flows.
At the same time, countries such as Australia and Canada have offered additional gas supplies as India explores further options to strengthen its energy security framework.
Officials also pointed to the strength of India’s refining infrastructure, which currently has a capacity of about 258 million metric tonnes per annum. This makes India the fourth-largest refining hub in the world and places its refining capacity above domestic consumption levels, which range between 210 and 230 million metric tonnes annually.
India’s refineries are designed to process a wide range of crude grades, enabling refiners to switch between different sources depending on market conditions and supply availability.
This operational flexibility, officials said, has become a strategic advantage that allows India to adjust procurement patterns without disrupting domestic fuel supplies.
India has also emerged as a major exporter of refined petroleum products. The country is currently the fifth-largest exporter globally, supplying fuels to multiple international markets.
Officials pointed out that Indian refineries played a key role in global energy markets when Europe faced fuel shortages after imposing sanctions on Russian crude during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War.
India has continued importing crude from Russia, which remains the country’s largest supplier as of February 2026. Imports from Russia increased significantly after 2022 due to discounted prices and demand from domestic refineries.
For nearly three years during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India maintained its purchases despite objections from the United States and the European Union, reflecting its policy of sourcing energy based on national requirements.
Officials emphasised that India’s status as a net exporter of refined petroleum products reinforces its overall energy security, as it enables the country to maintain robust refining operations while meeting both domestic demand and international supply commitments.
