New Delhi: Congress leaders and opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi The country’s energy security could face serious challenges as an escalating conflict in the Middle East disrupts global fuel markets, it warned on Thursday.Talking about the potential impact of the crisis on India’s fuel supply, Rahul said the government must urgently prepare for possible shortages of oil and cooking gas.
“The usual procedure is that you can ask for a talk. So I requested to be allowed to make a statement on the LPG and oil situation in the country… but the new procedure has started and the minister will first take a decision and then I will speak and then the minister will give a reply,” Rahul said while talking to reporters.This came after Congress MP KC Venugopal asked the Lok Sabha Speaker About Birla Parliament is allowed to raise the issue of LPG crisis in the House of Representatives.“Basically, the main thing is that all fuels are going to be a problem because essentially our energy security has been compromised. Flawed foreign policy has created this problem… Now we have to be prepared. We have a little time left. The government and the Prime Minister should start preparations immediately otherwise crores of people will suffer huge losses,” Rahul said.“This war is fundamentally changing the current world order. This is a bigger issue than whether Iran is allowed to provide fuel. We are entering a period of instability. During this period, you have to change your mindset… What I would suggest to the government is that they need to start thinking deeply now to ensure that our people do not suffer significant losses. This is not a political statement. I can see a big problem coming,” he added.Targeting the government, Rahul said the prime minister must ensure that India’s energy security is protected despite the deteriorating global situation.“The problem is that the Prime Minister cannot perform the functions of the Prime Minister of the country. There is a reason for this and that is that he is stuck. Regardless, he still needs to ensure that the people of India are protected and our energy security is managed by us,” the LoP said.His comments come as global energy markets face volatility as conflicts in the Middle East intensify.Industry developments suggest continued military escalation has severely disrupted crude supplies, sending benchmarks such as Brent near $100 a barrel.Supplies of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are also under pressure as the region’s maritime trade routes face disruption.One of the key issues is the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which a large portion of the world’s energy supplies pass.The strait handles approximately 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade, making it one of the most important maritime chokepoints for global energy markets. Any disruption to traffic on this route would severely impact the flow of oil, gas and related energy commodities on international markets.
