Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India successfully weathered one of the most challenging global energy crises in recent years through a combination of proactive policy decisions, diversified fuel sourcing, and strong diplomatic engagement, while ensuring that the impact on citizens remained limited.
He was speaking after inaugurating a refinery in Pachpadra, located in Rajasthan’s Balotra district, where he also laid the foundation stones for several development projects.
Modi said India significantly expanded its energy import network during the West Asia crisis. “When the crisis began, India was importing energy from about 25-26 countries. During the crisis, we increased this to more than 40 countries,” he said, crediting diplomatic efforts for the shift.
He further noted that oil marketing companies faced losses exceeding Rs 75,000 crore between April and June due to surging global prices, but said the government stepped in to absorb the impact. “We reduced excise duty by Rs 10 per litre and ensured that the burden on citizens did not increase significantly,” he said.
The prime minister also referred to attempts at misinformation during the period, saying that predictions of India’s economic strain did not materialise. “Rumours were spread, and people were incited, but those with malicious intentions did not succeed,” he said. “Those who wished to see India fail had even begun making predictions. Today, they must be wallowing in the depths of despair,” he added.
Highlighting India’s growing energy capacity, Modi said the country has now become the world’s fourth-largest in refining capacity and continues to expand its infrastructure in the sector.
He also attributed India’s resilience during global disruptions in fuel and fertiliser supplies — triggered by the conflict involving Iran and the US-Israel combine — to long-term policy planning by his government.
Shifting focus to broader governance themes, the prime minister said national self-respect can only be strengthened through self-reliance. He also asserted that governments led by the BJP do not merely announce projects but ensure their execution. “We work day and night to ensure their completion,” he said.
During the event, Modi inaugurated India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra, which is also the first refinery of its kind in Rajasthan. The inauguration was carried out by the prime minister through a remote button press after he toured the facility.
He also remarked that progress on the refinery had stalled during the Congress-led government in Rajasthan between 2018 and 2023.
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