Seeking to reassure Parliament and the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that India has adequate crude oil storage facilities and arrangements for continuous supply, despite the “serious energy crisis” created by the war in West Asia, which has entered its fourth week.
Speaking in the Upper House a day after he made a statement in Lok Sabha, Modi said it was essential that India’s Parliament spoke with one voice on peace and dialogue. He stressed that India’s aim was to bring peace to the embattled region through dialogue and diplomacy, and that it had discussed de-escalation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
In his opening remarks, Modi acknowledged the strain the conflict was placing on India’s energy supplies, calling it “worrisome,” and said petrol, diesel, gas, and fertiliser supplies were affected. He also said the fate of one crore Indians living and working in the Gulf countries was a matter of concern for the government. From the beginning of the war till now, 3.75 lakh Indians have returned to India safely, he informed the House.
Dialogue and diplomacy
Outlining India’s diplomatic outreach, the Prime Minister said that since the start of the war, he has spoken twice with the heads of state of most West Asian countries and has been in regular touch with them. “We are also in touch with Iran, Israel, and the US as well.”
He recorded India’s opposition to the attacks on commercial vessels and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, terming it “unacceptable”. “India has opposed attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, energy and transport infrastructure. Through diplomacy, in this war, India is trying for the safe passage of ships,” he said.
Modi said that through dialogue and diplomacy, India has worked to ensure the safe passage of vessels carrying oil and gas supplies and to ensure that oil and gas reach India from wherever possible.
“Many oil and gas vessels have reached India in recent days. We will continue our efforts in this direction,” he said. He also added a note of caution about the crisis lingering if the situation does not improve. “If the circumstances triggered by this war continue for a long time, then it will definitely have serious ramifications. Hence, we have stepped up our efforts towards resilience,” he said.
‘India has adequate crude oil storage’
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Outlining his government’s efforts at developing oil reserves, he said, “In the last 11 years, we have developed over 53 lakh metric tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves, and we are working to arrange a reserve of more than 65 lakh metric tonnes. Alongside, India has also increased its refining capacity in the last decade. I want to assure this House and the country that India has adequate crude oil storage and arrangements for continuous supplies,” he said.
He added that while earlier India was dependent on 27 countries for importing crude oil, LNG, LPG energy supplies, today it is importing energy from 41 countries
Acknowledging that the ongoing conflict has shaken the global economy, Modi said the government has taken steps to reduce its impact on India. To this end, the government, he said, has formed inter-ministerial groups and empowered groups of officers, similar to those formed during the pandemic. “Seven new empowered groups have been constituted on supply chains, fuel, inflation, energy and long-term strategy,” he informed the House.
Reassuring farmers on fertiliser supply ahead of the Kharif sowing season, Modi said the government is taking full efforts to ensure adequate supply. The Prime Minister also urged states to work in the spirit of cooperation and ensure that migrant workers, the poor and marginalised do not suffer.
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Invoking the Centre-state cooperation in vaccine development and testing during the pandemic, Modi said the country has to work together in the same spirit to face the current adversity. “The situation is dynamic, we have to be ready for every challenge, but the government is alert and keeping a close watch on the developments,” he said.
