Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday, 14 November 2026, stated that India continues to provide fuel to its citizens at one of the lowest prices in the world, crediting the policy direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for shielding ordinary households from global energy price shocks.

Meeting With LPG Distributors

Puri made the remarks during a meeting with LPG distributors held at his official residence in New Delhi, where he heard their ideas and concerns about the country's energy distribution network. 'These dedicated professionals and their hard-working teams form the backbone of India's vast energy distribution network. For millions of households, they are the first point of contact with the energy sector, ensuring that every kitchen keeps running,' the minister said in a post on X.

Puri also highlighted what he described as the progressive outlook and commitment to service shown by LPG distributors. 'They have been valuable partners in India's energy transformation,' he added.

LPG Connections More Than Doubled Since 2014

The minister pointed to a significant expansion in cooking fuel access under the current government. LPG connections have grown from approximately 13 crore in 2014 to over 32 crore today, including more than 10 crore Ujjwala connections targeting poor and underprivileged households, Puri stated. He said domestic supplies have remained fully protected even as countries around the world faced energy emergencies and price shocks amid recent geopolitical challenges and global supply chain disruptions.

How Much More Expensive Fuel Could Have Been

In a separate post on X on Saturday, Puri laid out a pointed comparison between the actual fuel price increases and what consumers would have faced had global price pressures been passed on in full. According to the minister's figures, diesel rose by just ₹7 per litre instead of the potential ₹54 per litre, petrol increased by only ₹7 per litre against a possible ₹19 per litre, LPG went up by ₹89 per cylinder rather than the full ₹495 per cylinder, and LNG rose by just ₹10 instead of ₹25.

'If LPG had become ₹495 more expensive per household cylinder, how would millions of families have managed their kitchen budgets? If petrol had become ₹19 per litre more expensive, what a huge burden it would have placed on the common person's pocket!' Puri posted.

Government's Stated Priority: No Burden on Citizens

Puri articulated the government's declared position clearly: 'PM Modi's vision is clear — we will not let the burden of global price increases fall on the country's people; if necessary, the government and oil companies will shoulder it.' This framing places the cost absorption squarely with state-run oil companies, which critics have previously argued effectively defers losses rather than eliminates them. Notably, this comes amid continued pressure on public sector oil marketing companies, which have faced margin stress during periods of elevated global crude prices.

With fuel pricing remaining a politically sensitive issue ahead of multiple state elections, the government's messaging on insulating consumers from global energy volatility is expected to remain prominent in the months ahead.