Energy security in focus: What India’s crude oil, LPG and LNG strategic reserves strategy should look like

India's current Strategic Petroleum Reserves capacity is 5.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur, covering about 9.5 days of crude oil consumption.

Phase II expansion under PPP model will add 6.5 MMT at Chandikhol and Padur, raising total capacity to 11.88 MMT to approach the 90-day reserve target.

India is working with the UAE for 30 million barrels of crude storage capacity.

Experts advise expanding reserves to include LPG and LNG, with Crisil Intelligence proposing three-tier reserves: physical for crude, distributed operational-security for LPG, and contractual/virtual for LNG.

Strategy should cover crude oil, LPG, and LNG to counter global supply disruptions, as highlighted by the US-Iran conflict.