The Centre has declared crucial energy data a matter of national security and directed all participants in India’s oil and gas ecosystem to submit detailed operational information, as the government moves to strengthen oversight amid supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Middle East war.
Under the Petroleum and Natural Gas (Furnishing of Information) Order, 2026, refiners, LNG importers, pipeline operators, city gas distributors, petrochemical firms, and other stakeholders-both public and private-must regularly report granular data to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), with some information required daily.
Real-time visibility of India’s energy supply chain
The March 18 gazette notification requires disclosure of production, imports, stock levels, and consumption patterns. The government aims to build a centralised system to monitor supplies in real time, enabling faster response to disruptions, prioritisation of critical sectors such as power, fertilisers, and household LPG, and more informed procurement decisions during crises.Officials cited by PTI said the move is intended to strengthen India’s ability to manage inventories, monitor the supply chain closely, and reduce vulnerability to geopolitical shocks affecting energy flows.
War-driven supply stress
The order comes as energy security concerns rise amid the Middle East conflict, which has disrupted gas and LPG shipments. India relies heavily on imports, sourcing roughly 88 per cent of crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas, and 60 per cent of LPG from abroad.
Before the war, over half of India’s crude oil came from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz, while 85-95 per cent of LPG and around 30 per cent of gas supplies also transited the strait. With the waterway effectively blocked, energy flows have been impacted. Crude oil imports have been partly mitigated through alternate sourcing from Russia, West Africa, the US, and Latin America, but gas and LPG deliveries to industrial and commercial users have faced shortfalls.
Who must report and what data to share
The order covers crude producers and importers, refiners, oil marketing companies, storage and terminal operators, gas producers, LNG importers, pipeline operators, marketers, city gas distributors, and petrochemical plants using petroleum or gas as feedstock.Entities are required to furnish PPAC with information on production, imports, exports, stocks, storage, allocation, transportation, supply, consumption, and utilisation, aggregated or disaggregated by geography, time, or consumers as specified. The government has allowed flexibility in reporting format and frequency, which may include daily, weekly, monthly, or other periodic returns.
Confidentiality clauses overridden
Companies cannot refuse to provide information citing commercial sensitivity or proprietary concerns. The order explicitly overrides confidentiality protections: “The obligation to furnish information under this order shall apply notwithstanding anything contained in any contract, agreement, commercial arrangement or confidentiality obligation… no entity shall refuse to furnish information… on the ground that such information is commercially sensitive or proprietary.”
Legal backing under Essential Commodities Act
The government has invoked powers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, which allows it to require anyone producing, importing, exporting, stocking, or dealing in an essential commodity to provide details on production, supply, distribution, stocks, or utilisation. The Centre said the system is necessary in the public interest to build a centralised mechanism for systematic collection, compilation, and analysis of petroleum and natural gas data.
Industry compliance burden
The order will require companies to upgrade internal data systems and reporting processes to meet the new requirements. Analysts say the move signals a broader shift in India’s energy security strategy: beyond securing alternate supplies, the government is prioritising real-time visibility across the entire supply chain-from imports and storage to allocation and consumption-as it prepares for prolonged volatility in global energy markets.
