Videos are being shared on social media showing long queues at petrol pumps in various parts of the country. Alongside these visuals, it is being claimed that India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has officially announced that the country has only two days of petrol stock remaining.
A user named Anushi Tiwari (Proud Indian) shared a post in English on X (formerly Twitter), stating:“BREAKING NEWS.. India’s Petroleum Ministry has officially announced that only 2 days of petrol is left in #India, while it may take up to 8 days for the oil shipment to arrive. Modi’s failed government has put the lives of 1.5 billion people in trouble.”#Iran #Israel
Fact Check:
DFRAC’s team investigated the viral claim and found it to be false. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has not made any official announcement stating that the country has only a two-day stock of petrol remaining. On the contrary, the Ministry has clarified that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in the country.During the investigation, we found a press release issued by the Government of India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) dated March 26.
According to the press release, citing the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas:“The supply situation of petroleum products and LPG in the country is completely secure and under control. There is adequate availability at all retail fuel outlets. There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG anywhere in the country. Citizens are advised not to be misled by a planned campaign of misinformation aimed at spreading unnecessary panic.” (English translation)
The press release further states that, regardless of global developments, a stable supply for approximately two months is available. Procurement of crude oil for the coming two months has also been ensured. India’s energy supply remains secure for the foreseeable future, and therefore, claims about reserves being exhausted or insufficient are baseless. (English translation)
Regarding domestic LPG, the release adds:“In addition to domestic production, 800 TMT of LPG cargo from countries such as the USA, Russia, and Australia has already been secured and is arriving at India’s 22 LPG import terminals—double the number in 2014. Arrangements for approximately one month’s supply are in place, and further procurement is being continuously finalised.” ( English translation)
We also found multiple media reports, including those by Navbharat Times and ABP News, confirming that the government has stated there is no shortage of petroleum products in the country.
Conclusion:
DFRAC’s fact-check clearly shows that the viral claim is false. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has not stated that only two days of petrol stock remains in the country. According to the official statement, there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in India.
