00:08There is a clear recognition of the fact that various global supply chains of pharma inputs
00:16have disrupted on account of West Asia crisis. There is an issue related to supply of solvents
00:26and active pharmaceutical ingredients. However, there is no major increase in sales prices
00:33of drugs and pharmaceuticals. In order to support pharma industry and to maintain the availability
00:41of inputs, feedstocks and also APIs, Department of Revenue through Notification dated 1 April
00:492026, has slashed custom duties of 40 various petrochemical products to zero. It should
00:59be recognized that pharmaceutical sector has a very strong value chain linkage with the
01:07petroleum and petrochemical sector, particularly in the supply of critical feedstocks and solvents,
01:14which are used for manufacturing of drugs and syrups. In view of this interdependence,
01:21the government is working in close coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
01:27and the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals so that uninterrupted supply of essential pharma
01:33inputs is ensured. Accordingly, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has made allocation
01:40pro rata as per the availability of feedstocks, particularly propylene. And there are other two solvents,
01:49ammonia and methanol, as with the help of Department of Fertilizer. Fertilizer manufacturing units
01:59are continuously providing the necessary input of ammonia to solvent manufacturers so that further
02:09downstream products are made available. Propylene remains the most critical input because it is used for
02:18production of isopropyl alcohol and isobutyl benzene, which are used for manufacturing of medicines like
02:25ibuprofen and other necessary drugs. A significant portion of these is being supplied by the Ministry of Petroleum and
02:35natural gas through BPCL Kochi and Mumbai refineries. However, methanol supply has emerged as a major area of concern. In
02:47this regard,
02:47there has been discussions with Assam Petrochemicals and GNFC, which are ready to supply the necessary quantities of methanol. So,
02:59work is underway to establish the necessary logistics and supply chains.
03:04And supply, however, in a moderate way has already commenced. The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has also extended support
03:14by suspending the quality control order of Marfolin and Marfolin is a very important
03:19building block used for manufacturing of various life-saving drugs. Aluminium supply required for pharmaceutical packaging has faced constraints. Restoration
03:29of supplies is underway and the situation is expected to normalize within a week or so.
03:33Supplies of LPG and HSD oil is important, particularly for ampoule and vial sealings and are under very close watch
03:44and pharmaceutical units are currently not facing any constraint as of today.
03:48The government remains fully engaged with facilitating supplies on case-to-case basis. That means to say, if there are
03:57any concerns, we get information and requests through concerned organizations and also through associations. And as and when we get
04:08requests from these associations, we facilitate the supply in our own limited manner. Thank you.
04:16Thank you. Now we take updates from the Petroleum Ministry. Over to you, Sujati.
04:52Thank you, Sujati.
05:30Thank you, Sujati.
05:50Thank you, Sujati.
06:19Thank you, Sujati.
06:51Thank you, Sujati.
06:58Thank you, Sujati.
07:05Thank you, Sujati.
07:40करने की बात कही गई है
07:47March के महीने से लेकर अब तक
07:49लगबक 3,97,000 नए PNG connections को gas दी गई है
07:54इसके अलावा 4,30,000 नए customers भी register किये गए है
08:02हमारा एक portal है, website है mypngd.in
08:07इस website पर 18,000 से जादा consumers ने अपने LPG connections को surrender किया है
08:16retail outlets पर भी supply normal है
08:20और मैं आपको ये बताना चाहूंगी
08:24कि जो oil marketing companies के, public sector oil marketing companies के जो pump है
08:30वहाँ पर auto LPG का जो sale है वो normal चल रहा है
08:36लेकिन private operators को कुछ constraint होने की वज़ा से
08:40हमारे pumps पर जो public sector oil marketing companies के pump जो है
08:45वहाँ पर थोड़ी सी line है
08:48इसके अलावा मैं आपको ये बताना चाहूंगी
08:52कि हमारी crude inventory is adequate है
08:54हमारी refineries optimum capacity पर काम कर रही है
09:00कल जो हमारा LPG production था वो लगबग 48,000 तन था
09:07हमारी refineries से
09:08इसके अलावा C3, C4 molecules का कुछ pool
09:14pharmaceutical, animal husbandry, department of chemicals and petrochemicals के request पर कुछ allocate किया गया है
09:24और लगबग इसकी quantity है 800 ton per day
09:30इस सभी के साथ मैं ये भी बताना चाहूंगी
09:33कि लगबग सभी states और union territories में control room सेट अप है
09:37district monitoring committee सेट अप है
09:40और वो लगातार स्थिती पर नजर बनाए हुए है
09:44और बहुत सारे states के अंदर daily briefing भी issue हो रही है
09:50कल लगबग 3300 rate की गई जिसमें 600 से जादा cylinder seize किये गए
09:56अभी तक लगबग 116000 rates की जा चुकी है
10:01इसके अलावा oil marketing companies ने भी 1870 show cost notice की दिये है
10:08LPG distributors को और लगबग 3300 LPG distributors को suspend भी किया गया है
10:14अंत में मैं सभी लोगों से ये प्रातना करना चाहूंगी की
10:19supply sufficient है इसलिए अफाहों पर विश्वास न करें
10:23और जरूरत के अनुसार petrol, diesel और LPG खरी दें
10:28Thank you. Thank you. Now we take updates from Shipping Ministry.
10:33Thank you. Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways in coordination with Ministry of External Affairs,
10:40Cargo Ministries and Indian Missions is actively monitoring the situation.
10:46No incident involving Indian flagged vessels or Indian seafarers has been reported in the past 24 hours.
10:54The Indian flagged vessel LPG, that is LPG, filled with LPG, Green Asha,
11:01that crossed the Strait of Howmooj on 5th of April 2026, has safely reached JNPA earlier today.
11:15The Ministry's control room, that is manned by DG Shipping,
11:19has handled about 5,600 calls and 12,000 emails since its activation.
11:26In the past 24 hours, 166 calls and 317 emails have been received.
11:33The Ministry through DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 1,800 Indian seafarers so far,
11:41including 49 in the past 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region.
11:47Port operation across India remains normal, with no congestion reported.
11:52The Ministry continues to coordinate with the maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare
11:59and uninterrupted maritime operations. Thank you.
12:04Thank you. Now, Ranirji.
12:08Thank you, ma'am.
12:12We are closely following the developments in West Asia.
12:16We continue to engage with countries in the region.
12:19As you would have seen our press release earlier yesterday,
12:24External Affairs Minister will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates
12:29from 11th to 12th of April 2026.
12:33During the visit, he will meet the leadership of the UAE to review close cooperation
12:40and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
12:46We are also reaching out to other countries in the GCC region.
12:52Our Minister of Petroleum is also visiting the region, as you would have seen.
12:56He is paying an official visit to Qatar on 9th and 10th April 2026.
13:01Thank you very much.
13:03Asim Ji.
13:05Good afternoon.
13:06We continue to monitor the developments in the Gulf and West Asia region.
13:11Our dedicated special control room in the Ministry remains operational
13:15and we continue to remain in regular touch with the state governments and union territories.
13:20Our efforts are focused on ensuring the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region.
13:26Our missions and posts are operating round-the-clock helplines and proactively assisting our citizens.
13:32Updated advisories are being issued, including information related to local government guidelines,
13:38flight and travel situation and consular services.
13:41Our missions remain actively engaged with the Indian community associations,
13:45organizations, professional groups, Indian companies and other stakeholders.
13:50An update on the status of flights.
13:53Flights continue to operate from the region to India from countries where airspace is open.
13:58Since February, we have travelled from the region to India.
14:07Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled commercial flights
14:10based on operational and safety considerations between UAE and India.
14:15Around 85 flights are expected to operate from the UAE to India today.
14:20Flights are operating from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman
14:25to different destinations in India.
14:27With the Qatar airspace partially open,
14:30Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 8 to 10 flights to India today.
14:36Kuwait Airspace remains closed.
14:38Jazira Airways of Kuwait and Kuwait Airways continue to operate non-scheduled commercial flights
14:44from Dhamam Airport of Saudi Arabia to various destinations in India.
14:48Due to airspace closure,
14:50we continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals from Kuwait through Saudi Arabia to India.
14:58Bahrain Airspace is now open.
15:00Gulf Air of Bahrain has announced limited flight operations from Bahrain to India
15:05that are expected to start soon.
15:07Gulf Air is operating non-scheduled commercial flights from Dhamam Airport of Saudi Arabia
15:12to various destinations in India.
15:15We continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals from Bahrain through Saudi Arabia to India.
15:25Our embassy in Tehran has so far facilitated movement of 2,170 Indian nationals
15:32from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India.
15:36This includes 971 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen.
15:42The airspace in Israel remains closed.
15:45We continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals from Israel through Jordan and Egypt to India.
15:52Iraqi airspace is now open.
15:55Flights operations are yet to resume.
15:57We continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals from Iraq through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to India.
16:06Now we will take questions.
16:07First row, 54, 130, 208 and 46.
16:16Good afternoon.
16:17I am Rajesh Roy from Bloomberg.
16:18Sujata ma'am, any details possible on oil minister's visit to Qatar?
16:23Because Qatar is a big supplier of energy.
16:26And Mangal, sir, any details on the Indian flag vessels movement?
16:30And Randhir, sir, as you know, over the weekend, Pakistan is going to hold a high-powered delegation from U
16:34.S.
16:35led by J.D. Vance and also Iran.
16:37How do you see that?
16:38How does India react to that?
16:45Hi, thanks.
16:45I'm Arzadi from P.K.
16:47Partly asked by Rajesh.
16:49But again, what is on Mr. Puri's agenda for Qatar?
16:53Are we looking at resuming sourcing of LNG again from Qatar?
16:58Because Qatar has been the largest supplier.
17:00And one question to Mr. Satiprakash.
17:03Does the supply, the feedstock supplies, will they normalize the production of critical medicines now?
17:11There were also reports that some contraceptive production was also impacted because of the supplies.
17:17Have all those supplies been normalized now?
17:20Hi.
17:21Sukar from the Indian Express.
17:23My question is for Mangal, sir, and Randhir, sir, as well.
17:27You know, our government has maintained that there should be free passage of ships through the state of Hormuz.
17:38But now increasingly there are talks of a toll being formalized by Iran.
17:44And in fact, U.S. President Donald Trump also made a comment calling it a beautiful thing, you know, a
17:53big, beautiful toll.
17:55Considering that our stance has always been that there should be freedom of navigation, what would be India's stand if
18:04such a system were to be formalized?
18:06Considering that there are certain examples of natural states having a toll system, for instance, the Bosphorus, the Turkish government
18:15charges a fee.
18:16So if that sort of comes into play here in the state of Hormuz, what would be our stance?
18:33Sir, sir, yesterday, DG Shipping late night came out with a circular regarding some more advisories telling the ports that
18:41they should also pass on the concessions as early as possible
18:44and telling the ships to make sure that they are not overcharging, saying that there is too much insurance premium
18:50being paid.
18:51Sir, can we get to know about any of the triggers that led to this more stricter advisory that was
18:56issued?
18:58Sir, yes.
18:59Sir, third row.
19:01OK.
19:01We can move, yes.
19:04Two, yes.
19:05Two and two, is 66 and 95.
19:11Hi.
19:12Rituraj from Ment.
19:13My question is both for Petroleum Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs.
19:18So, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry yesterday met Haradip Singh Puri and he sought further supplies of diesel and fertilizers.
19:27Can you give details in terms of what sort of supplies our neighboring countries have sought in terms of petroleum
19:34products and have we actually sent further petroleum products amidst the past one month or what is the way forward
19:45on this?
20:23Thank you very much.
20:34Thank you very much.
20:57Pakistan has said that Pakistan Muslim world has two enemies, Hindustan and Israel. Now this comes just ahead of the
21:04high profile political meeting that is scheduled between America and Iran. How do we see it?
21:1096 and then we can give the mic to 45 also.
21:39And what is the plan for them?
21:42The last question, 45.
21:44Yeah, good afternoon. I'm Priyank from Times Now. My question is followed up to what Anvish has asked. Looking at,
21:51since it's a developing situation, things like...
21:53...
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