New Delhi: Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is in Qatar for a two-day visit beginning Thursday, at a time when India is working to stabilise energy supplies disrupted by the West Asia conflict. "Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep S Puri, will be on an official visit to the State of Qatar on 9-10 April, 2026," the Petroleum Ministry said in a post on X.
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The visit follows a tentative ceasefire between the US and Iran, which has raised expectations around a possible resumption of energy flows from the region.
Officials indicated that details of the minister’s discussions will become clear only after the visit concludes. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry, said it would be necessary to wait for his return to understand the outcomes of the meetings.
The visit comes as India engages key suppliers to secure fuel availability amid continued geopolitical uncertainty that has disrupted global trade flows.
Qatar remains India’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), accounting for about 45 percent of LNG imports and 20 percent of LPG supplies.
Energy supplies from the Gulf were hit after the escalation of tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran’s retaliatory actions targeted neighbouring countries hosting US forces, including Qatar. A strike on Qatar’s major LNG export facility led to a shutdown of production and a declaration of force majeure on gas exports, affecting supplies to key importers such as India.
India depends on imports for nearly half of its natural gas consumption and around two-thirds of its LPG requirement, with a significant share sourced from West Asia.
The six-week conflict has severely curtailed exports from the region, contributing to supply shortages for industrial users and exerting upward pressure on prices.
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Discussions during the visit are expected to centre on resumption of shipments, assessment of existing contracts, and strengthening bilateral energy cooperation.
India may also push for priority access to LNG supplies once exports from Qatar resume, as it looks to safeguard energy availability in a volatile global environment.