New Delhi, April 9: Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, is set to visit Qatar from April 9 to 10. During this trip, he will engage in crucial discussions regarding the liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, which has been affected by the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The ministry announced on social media platform X, “Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will be on an official visit to the State of Qatar from April 9-10, 2026.”
Despite pressures on the global supply chain, India is striving to ensure adequate gas availability for domestic consumers.
Last month, Qatar’s state-owned company, Qatar Energy, declared ‘force majeure’ on long-term LNG supply contracts, impacting supplies to countries such as Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China.
Although India was not on this list, it remains one of the major countries purchasing LNG from Qatar.
According to Qatar Energy CEO Saad Al-Kaabi, the energy infrastructure has suffered damage due to Iranian attacks since the conflict began in late February. This has affected approximately 17 percent of the country’s LNG export capacity.
The attacks have damaged two of Qatar’s 14 LNG plants and one of its two gas-to-liquid (GTL) facilities, halting production of about 12.8 million tons per year. Repairs could take between three to five years.
This crisis is expected to cost Qatar around $20 billion annually and has raised concerns about global energy security, particularly in Europe and Asia.
Earlier in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, condemning the attacks on energy infrastructure. Both leaders emphasized the need for safe and uninterrupted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Indian companies are turning to alternative sources for LNG supply from countries like the United States, Australia, and Russia, primarily for industrial use.
In 2025, India imported approximately 25.5 million tons of LNG, with the government aiming to increase the share of natural gas in the country’s total energy mix to 15 percent by 2030.
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