The supply disruption has pushed authorities to intervene through subsidies, reserve releases and regulatory measures aimed at stabilising fuel availability and protecting consumers from rising prices.

In India, authorities invoked emergency powers last week and directed refiners to maximise production of liquefied petroleum gas to prevent shortages of the cooking fuel widely used by households. The government also cut LPG sales to industry to ensure adequate supply for roughly 333 million homes connected to the system.

Officials have also urged consumers to avoid panic buying of cylinders and encouraged a shift to piped natural gas where available to ease pressure on LPG distribution.

Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea said it is considering additional energy vouchers for vulnerable households while preparing to increase electricity output from nuclear and coal-fired plants.

China announced it would release fertilisers from national commercial reserves ahead of the spring planting season, citing supply disruptions tied to the energy crisis.

Malaysia said it will increase spending on petrol subsidies to 2 billion ringgit ($510 million) from 700 million ringgit to maintain fixed retail fuel prices, according to government statements.

In Philippines, authorities said they plan to curb rising electricity bills linked to higher liquefied natural gas prices by increasing coal-fired power generation and regulating electricity tariffs.

Australia said it will release petrol and diesel from domestic reserves to address shortages affecting rural supply chains as well as the mining and agricultural sectors.

Meanwhile, the European Commission said it will advise member governments to exercise flexibility in enforcing European Union rules on gas imports, amid concerns that strict compliance could slow the delivery of liquefied natural gas shipments needed to stabilise supply.

Two of the sources said the state-run gas distributor bought the prompt cargo through negotiations with a European trader at a fixed price ranging between $17 and $20 per million British thermal units.

The cargo, loaded aboard the vessel Orion Hugo LNG carrier and chartered by Shell, is expected to arrive in India around March 15, according to shipping analytics firm Kpler.

There was no immediate response from GAIL (India) Limited to a request for comment.

India relies heavily on imported liquefied natural gas to meet domestic demand. The country consumes about 195 million standard cubic metres per day of natural gas, roughly half of which is met through imports.

Before recent disruptions, India was receiving about 60 million standard cubic metres per day of gas from the Middle East, according to industry sources.

Supplies have been affected following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the declaration of force majeure by Qatar, India’s largest gas supplier, disrupting shipments from the region.

In response, Indian authorities have begun reallocating gas supplies, diverting fuel from non-priority industries to key sectors in an effort to manage the shortfall and stabilise energy availability.

The Suezmax tanker Shenlong, which can carry about 1 million barrels of crude, loaded its cargo at the Saudi Arabian port of Ras Tanura, according to separate vessel tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform.

Tracking information showed the vessel last recorded its position inside the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before updating its destination as the Indian port of Mumbai.

The strait is a critical corridor for global energy flows, linking Gulf oil producers with markets in Asia and beyond.India is among the world’s largest crude importers and regularly receives shipments from Middle Eastern producers, including Saudi Arabia.

The vessel is managed by Athens-based shipping company Dynacom, according to maritime data. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the shipment.