NEW DELHI ,11 March 2026 : The Centre has stepped in to regulate the supply and distribution of natural gas across the country after disruptions in global shipments triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In an order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the government said shipments of liquefied natural gas moving through the Strait of Hormuz have been affected, with suppliers invoking force majeure clauses. The move has raised concerns about potential supply constraints and prompted the government to ensure that available gas is directed first to essential sectors.
Under the new Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026, priority allocation will be given to domestic piped natural gas supply, compressed natural gas used in transport, LPG production and essential pipeline operations.
The order states that these priority sectors will receive up to 100 per cent of their average gas consumption over the past six months, subject to operational availability.
In a related development, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has written to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri raising concerns that a recent government directive on LPG supply could disrupt the availability of commercial cooking gas for restaurants across the country.
In a letter, the industry body urged the government to ensure continued supply of commercial LPG cylinders, warning that any disruption could severely affect restaurant operations and food services.
“The restaurant industry is predominantly dependent on commercial LPG for its operations. Any disruption therein will lead to a catastrophic closure of the majority of restaurants,” the association said in the letter.
The NRAI said the concerns stem from a government order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas directing public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) to ensure that LPG is supplied and marketed “solely to consumers of domestic LPG only”.
According to the association, the wording of the directive has triggered confusion among distributors. “Immediately after the issue of this order, suppliers across the country have indicated that the supply of commercial LPG cylinders to restaurants would be, therefore, stopped,” the letter said.
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