Refining relations: India pumps up goodwill as neighbours seek emergency fuel | India News
Several countries in the subcontinent are reaching out to India for additional fuel as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East cuts fuel supplies from the Persian Gulf.This comes after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, leaving several South Asian countries with limited reserves and few alternative supply routes.Addressing a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is reviewing requests from various countries.“We have received requests from some neighboring countries to export power, including diesel, from Bangladesh. Domestic availability and production will be factored in before any decision is taken,” Jaiswal said.He added that similar requests have also been received from Sri Lanka and Maldives and are being reviewed. Jaiswal emphasized that any decision to supply petroleum products would take into account India’s domestic energy needs.While India has yet to approve requests for additional fuel, New Delhi’s position as the world’s fourth-largest refiner gives it room to respond to the crisis in a way that deepens regional ties and strengthens its position as a reliable partner in South Asia.Countries that sought India’s helpNepalAmid the ongoing crisis, Nepal has asked the Indian Oil Corporation to increase its monthly supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).Kathmandu requested an additional 3,000 tonnes of LPG but was told that only the contracted volume would be supplied for now, a deputy director of state-run Nepal Oil Corporation told Bloomberg.Nepal currently receives around 48,000 tonnes of LPG per month from IOC under its existing contract.Nepal is totally dependent on India for its energy supply. Panic buying in the country has forced households to stockpile cooking gas cylinders, prompting authorities to curb distribution.“The regular LPG cylinder is 14.2 kg, and from today we have decided to reduce it to 7.1 kg,” said Manoj Kumar Thakur.BangladeshDhaka has asked India to supply an additional 180,000 tonnes of diesel per year under an existing contract. Bangladesh’s government, in office for only a few weeks, faces the prospect of acute fuel shortages.Bangladesh, which imports more than 80% of its energy from the Middle East, last week imposed austerity measures by shutting down fertilizer factories and turning off decorative lighting to conserve energy.Pressure for additional supplies comes as New Delhi and Dhaka begin mending previously tense relations.Bangladesh Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said after meeting the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka on Wednesday, “We have requested them to increase the oil supply somewhat considering the time of crisis.”Sri LankaSri Lankan Foreign Minister Bijitha Herath also held an “urgent meeting” with Russia’s ambassador in Colombo on Friday to discuss buying oil under a temporary US sanctions waiver, a ministry statement said.Sri Lanka spent $3.83 billion on energy imports last year, according to official data, with most shipments coming from India and Singapore.“Sri Lanka does not have enough storage facilities to store fuel beyond the next few weeks, but there are enough confirmed shipments till the end of this month,” state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation chairman S Rajakaruna said while talking to reporters.Ashok Malik, a New Delhi-based partner at The Asia Group, told Bloomberg that India has helped meet energy demand in the past.“I am sure it will get India’s goodwill because all countries are struggling,” Malik said.“While India’s energy ties with its neighbors are strong, it may not be able to solve all their supply challenges,” Malik added.India imports about 90% of its annual crude needs. In a crisis, it seeks alternative supply routes to avoid disruption.Earlier this week, New Delhi ordered about 30 million barrels of Russian oil after receiving a waiver from the United States and is negotiating with Iran for safe passage of more than 20 tankers.Earlier on Thursday, a Liberian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil from the Saudi port of Ras Tanura also arrived at the Mumbai port via the Strait of Hormuz.The Shenlong Suezmax, a tanker carrying about 135,335 metric tons (about 1 million barrels) of crude oil, departed from a Saudi port on March 1 and arrived in Mumbai, becoming the first India-commanded vessel to safely navigate the strategic waterway and reach the coast between the Indian coast.
