New Delhi, April 11 -- India's domestic production of liquefied petroleum gas is "close to 60%" of its needs, the petroleum ministry said on Friday; the number is significantly up from 40% on March 18. Providing an update of the energy supply situation in the country, petroleum ministry's joint secretary Sujata Sharma said: "We have sufficient inventory of crude; our refineries are operating at optimum capacity. Domestic LPG production has increased and it is close to 60% of our need right now." According to the latest government data, India's annual consumption of LPG in 2025-26 was 33.21 million tonnes (MT). Monthly data show that LPG consumption dropped sharply in March because of supply disruption from West Asia due to the war that broke out on February 28. Before the war, India met 60% of its LPG needs through imports, and much of the supply came from West Asia, particularly Qatar. LPG consumption fell from 3.012 MT in January and 2.822 MT in February to 2.379 MT in March, a 26.6% dip from January. India also imports LPG from Australia and the US. Once LPG imports fell sharpy after Iran choked the transit route through Strait of Hormuz and bombed Qatar's Ras Laffan's gas facility, the government cut supplies to commercial consumers while ensuring 100% supply to over 332 million households. Meanwhile, Indian refineries have been directed to ramp up LPG output at the cost of petrochemicals. Prospects of LPG imports have also brightened with a two-week pause on the war in West Asia and a reiteration by Qatar that it will fulfil its supply commitment in a meeting with petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri. He is on a two-day visit to India's biggest gas supplier in the region. A petroleum ministry statement on Friday said Qatar minister of state for energy Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi "reaffirmed the State of Qatar's commitment to remain a reliable energy supplier"....