Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that India’s strategic and refinery oil reserves are sufficient to sustain the country for 74 days in the event of a total global supply disruption. This 74-day buffer includes oil stored in underground strategic caverns, refineries, and floating storage at various ports.

The Minister noted that while the International Energy Agency (IEA) recommends a 90-day reserve, India is comfortably positioned at 74 days and is working to expand this capacity. He added that while current reserves are located in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the government is hoping to start a new facility in Odisha soon. “For a fast-growing economy like ours, energy security is non-negotiable,” Puri stated, emphasizing that India has successfully diversified its crude oil sources to mitigate risks from geopolitical shocks.