Public frustration swells on concerns over India’s fuel supply crunch

Public frustration grew in India on Wednesday (March 25) over fears of fuel shortage, amid claims by the government to avoid panic buying.

In some Indian states including Maharashtra, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, queues extended beyond the gas stations, with several people waiting for hours to get a refill.

In Nagpur, a city in central India, a motorist said government officials should visit the stations to see the queuing and panic buying situation. “They should ask petrol pump officials why the fuel stations have been shut if there's enough petrol,” she said.

India has been hit hard by the disruption of energy shipments via the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran crisis, which is now in its fourth week.

The country imports about 90% of its crude oil and nearly half of its liquefied petroleum gas, and roughly half of that oil and an even larger share of its LPG also has to come through the strait.

Production: Yi-Chin Lee/Reuters