The minister does not expect oil prices to remain “this high” for long, noting that India’s strategic reserves, refinery inventories, and commercial stocks provide a solid 30-to-60-day buffer. This extensive cushion ensures the country’s energy security remains intact even during severe geopolitical disruptions, safeguarding domestic supply against external market volatility.

Even if the critical Strait of Hormuz faces a prolonged closure, Puri remains confident in India’s domestic readiness to manage the fallout. Emphasizing his benchmark for national energy security, he asserted: “What happens if Hormuz remains closed for another 30 days? We all have domestic situations, we have stocks … my comfort point used to be 60-60-60 which means 60 days of crude oil, natural gas and LPG – which I do have; I would say that’s comfortable.”