No need to panic, says Rajnath Singh as Indian govt takes big steps amid Middle-East crisis

Singh wrote on X: "I urge the people to remain calm and avoid any kind of panic as the government is taking concrete steps to prevent shortages or disruptions in supply chains."

"PM Shri Modi’s appeal for collective participation of the people to help the country face global disruptions and challenges is going to be a significant step towards self-reliance and ensuring energy security. It is PM’s broader message about conservation during a difficult global period," he said.

He commented a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned people to use oil wisely and focus on saving foreign reserves of the country.

Meanwhile, Singh on Monday chaired the 5th meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia in New Delhi.

The meeting took stock of the latest developments in the conflict, and discussed ways to bolster India’s readiness to ensure its minimum effect on the people, as per an official statement issued by the Indian government.

Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda; Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri; Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju; Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal; and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh attended the meeting.

As per the official statement, the IGoM was informed that the country is secure, and there is no shortage of any petroleum product, even as most other nations have taken emergency measures to dramatically reduce domestic consumption.

India has 60 days of crude oil, 60 days of Natural Gas and 45 days of LPG rolling stock. The foreign exchange reserves stand at a comfortable $703 billion.

"India is the world’s third largest oil refiner and fourth largest exporter of petroleum products, exporting to over 150 countries and is meeting domestic demand in full. But there is a huge cost being borne by the nation as international crude prices are continuing at very high levels," the statement said.

India is among the few countries where petroleum prices have held steady through this period of global volatility even after more than 70 days since the conflict started. In many nations, prices have increased by 30 to 70 per cent.

However, India’s oil marketing companies have absorbed losses of close to Rs 1,000 crore a day, with under-recoveries running to nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in Q1 ’26 so that the burden of global astronomical prices is not passed to the Indian citizens. There is no reason for anxiety, and no reason for any citizens to rush to retail outlets.

Singh directed the officials to take concrete steps to implement the Prime Minister’s appeal at the ground level.

The Prime Minister, on May 11, 2026, exhorted the people to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using metros & public transport, opting to car pooling; help conserve foreign exchange reserves by refraining from unnecessary foreign travel, choosing domestic tourism & celebrations within India, and avoiding non-essential gold purchases for a year.

He had urged the farmers to reduce chemical fertiliser usage by 50 per cent, move towards natural farming practices, help protect soil health & reduce import dependence, and encourage wider adoption of solar-powered irrigation pumps instead of diesel pumps in agriculture.