The Centre has withdrawn emergency restrictions on natural gas supplies after liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait of Hormuz resumed following a ceasefire and easing tensions in West Asia, signalling a return to normal energy supplies.
In a notification issued on Saturday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas amended the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026, removing key provisions that had empowered the government to regulate the allocation and diversion of domestically produced natural gas and imported LNG under an emergency framework.
The emergency measures were introduced in March after the conflict in West Asia disrupted LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting some suppliers to invoke force majeure. The government had prioritised gas supplies for essential sectors such as piped natural gas (PNG) households, compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport, LPG production and pipeline operations, while curbing supplies to non-priority users, including petrochemical plants and some power stations.
With maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz resuming and negotiations continuing after the ceasefire, the government said the extraordinary measures were no longer required.
The gas supply restrictions were one of three emergency steps introduced to safeguard India's energy security during the disruption. The other two measures—directing refiners to maximise LPG production by diverting feedstock from petrochemical units and restricting diesel sales to bulk consumers—had already been withdrawn as the supply situation improved.
India imports nearly half of its natural gas requirements, with around 65 per cent of its LNG supplies sourced from West Asia, making the Strait of Hormuz a critical route for the country's energy imports. The resumption of LNG shipments is expected to restore normal supply conditions and ease concerns over fuel availability.
