The government has mandated that cooking gas LPG supply to households will be discontinued if consumers fail to switch to piped natural gas where such connectivity is available, under a new order aimed at accelerating gas network expansion and reducing reliance on a single fuel.

As India grapples with an LPG shortage due to the war in West Asia disrupting supplies from key sources.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said India is riding on the reform express and reforms are happening with conviction and clarity.

Replying to the debate on Finance Bill 2026 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said, "Reform is not happening out of compulsion, but out of conviction, with clarity, confidence and commitment. India is riding on the reform express under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

State-owned oil companies on Wednesday said there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG in the country, urging citizens not to believe rumours circulating on social media or resort to panic buying.

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm, said "there is no shortage of petrol or diesel", adding that its outlets are "well-stocked and fully operational".

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday spoke with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with both leaders stressing the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said in a social media post.

“President Donald Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. They discussed the ongoing situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open,” Gor said in a post on X.

Indian refiners have bought about 60 million barrels of Russian oil for delivery next month, according to people familiar with the matter, easing supply concerns as the West Asia war chokes flows.

The cargoes were booked at premiums of $5 to $15 a barrel to Brent, said the people, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the trade.

Harish Rana, the first person in India to be allowed passive euthanasia, passed away on Tuesday at AIIMS-Delhi after more than 13 years in coma, sources said.

The 31-year-old, who has been in a coma since 2013, was shifted from his Ghaziabad home to the palliative care unit at Dr BR Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on March 14.

Food delivery platform Swiggy has increased its platform fee to ₹17.58 per order (including GST) from ₹14.99 earlier. This marks a 17.27 per cent increase. The hike comes soon after rival Zomato also raised its effective platform fee to ₹14.90.

Swiggy’s ₹17.58 fee already includes GST. In comparison, Zomato charges a base platform fee of ₹14.90, plus ₹2.68 GST, totalling to ₹17.58 per order.

The Government of India has called for an all-party meeting on March 25 (Wednesday) at 5 PM on the West Asia crisis.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a review meeting in the wake of recent global and regional security events, and also to review India's defence preparedness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all available sources, and efforts will continue in the coming days as the war in West Asia has created a serious energy crisis globally.

In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, Modi said the war in West Asia is a cause of concern, and India wants peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

Traders have offered Iranian oil to Indian refiners at a premium to ICE Brent after Washington temporary removed sanctions ​to ease the energy crisis caused by the US -Israeli war on ​Iran, three industry sources said.

India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, has not received ‌a cargo from Tehran since May 2019 after it came under US pressure not to buy Iranian crude.

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