New Delhi, March 12 (UNI) India, a major exporter of refined petroleum products, particularly to neighbouring countries, is examining a request from Bangladesh for the supply of diesel, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Responding to a question during the weekly briefing on petroleum product supplies, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has received a request from the Bangladesh government for diesel supplies, which is currently under examination.
Highlighting the long-standing cooperation in the energy sector, he said that India has been supplying diesel to Bangladesh from Numaligarh Refinery since 2007 through various modes, including waterways and rail, and later through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.
A Sale-Purchase Agreement was signed in October 2017 between Numaligarh Refinery and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation for the supply of High Speed Diesel on mutually agreed terms.
“It bears mention that while diesel exports to Bangladesh have largely continued since 2007, India’s refining capacity, our own requirements, and diesel availability will be factored in while taking decisions.
“India’s refining capacity, domestic requirements and diesel availability will be taken into account while making a decision on the request, ” he added.
Meanwhile, Centre on Wednesday said the country’s crude oil supply remains secure, with around 70 per cent of the country’s imports now coming from routes outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sujata Sharma, said the volume of crude secured by the government currently exceeds the quantity that would normally pass through the strategic shipping route.
She noted that India now imports crude oil from nearly 40 countries, with oil marketing companies securing cargoes from diversified sources to ensure an uninterrupted supply.
Sharma also said that gas companies in India have procured liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from new sources, with two LNG shipments currently on their way to the country.
