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New Delhi, Jun 14 (PTI) The government move to restrict diesel purchases through petrol pumps is raising concerns among hospitals, IT campuses, data centres and industrial facilities that rely heavily on diesel generators not only as emergency backup but also as a regular source of power during peak-demand periods.

The government on June 11 barred industrial, commercial and institutional consumers from purchasing diesel at petrol pumps and limited sales through retail outlets to 200 litres per customer or vehicle per day, a move aimed at conserving supplies and preventing diversion of fuel meant for retail consumers.

Industry executives said the restrictions could disrupt fuel procurement for sectors where diesel generators remain critical to operations.

Hospitals are among the most vulnerable. Large healthcare facilities typically maintain multiple diesel generator sets capable of powering entire campuses during grid disruptions and often run them proactively during surgeries, intensive-care operations and other critical procedures where even momentary voltage fluctuations can pose risks to patients.

"Many hospitals do not depend exclusively on grid electricity for critical functions. Diesel generators are an integral part of operational planning because uninterrupted power is non-negotiable," said an executive at a hospital chain.

Data centres, IT parks and telecom facilities also rely extensively on diesel-based backup systems to meet uptime commitments. Industry officials said many facilities routinely top up diesel inventories from nearby fuel stations to ensure uninterrupted operations.

"Peak hour power tariffs in some states are higher than the cost of generating electricity using diesel gensets. And so many IT companies rely on diesel gensets to meet power demand during peak hours," another industry executive said.

The restrictions could also increase operating costs for some industrial and commercial consumers. During periods of peak electricity demand, power purchased from the grid can become significantly more expensive than captive diesel generation, prompting some facilities to switch part of their load to generator sets to manage costs and maintain reliability.

The government said the measures were prompted by "abnormal increases" in diesel and petrol sales at retail outlets as industrial and institutional consumers shifted purchases from bulk supply channels to lower-priced retail pumps, creating risks of local shortages.

Under the order, such consumers will be required to source fuel through dedicated consumer pumps and bulk supply arrangements rather than retail outlets.

Industry representatives are seeking exemptions and operational clarifications for essential services, arguing that hospitals, telecom networks, data centres and other critical infrastructure require assured access to diesel supplies regardless of prevailing market conditions.

Executives said organisations with established bulk fuel contracts are likely to face limited disruption, but institutions dependent on flexible retail purchases may need to rapidly overhaul procurement practices if the restrictions are activated.

The restrictions, which will be in place for up to 90 days, follows abnormal demand growth, particularly that of diesel, in some pockets after bulk users started buying fuel from petrol pumps due to the pricing difference. While diesel at petrol pumps costs Rs 95.20 a litre in Delhi, bulk sale are priced at Rs 134.50.

The differential arose as state-owned oil companies modulated retail prices to insulate common users from the spike in cost that followed the West Asia crisis in late February. While bulk users such as telecom towers and industries using diesel for power generation and other feedstock needs are charged market price, the retail pump rates are way lower than cost.

Commercial customers like trucking companies and state road transport buses too had been tapping pumps for their needs, resulting in abnormal rise in demand in some pockets.

The price differential has also led to a shift in sales pattern with volumes shifting to PSU petrol pumps from private sector outlets that priced petrol and diesel at higher rates.

In May, three state-owned firms IOC, BPCL, and HPCL saw a 4.8 per cent jump in petrol sales and 6.4 per cent surge in diesel. PTI ANZ SKY

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New Delhi, Jun 14 (PTI) India remained the world's second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in May, importing an estimated 5.8 billion euros (USD 6.7 billion) worth of Russian hydrocarbons as refiners stepped up crude purchases from Moscow, European think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in a report.

Crude oil accounted for about 83 per cent of India's imports from Russia during the month, valued at 4.8 billion euros, while oil products and coal imports stood at 550 million euros and 429 million euros, respectively.

"India's total crude import volumes recorded an 8 per cent month-on-month increase in May. This is partially explained by a 21 per cent month-on-month increase in Russian imports," CREA said.

Some of India's largest refining hubs recorded notable increases in Russian crude arrivals. Unloaded volumes at the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat rose 36 per cent from April levels, while deliveries to the Jamnagar refining complex in the state increased 14 per cent.

According to CREA, state-run refiners also expanded purchases after resuming imports earlier this year. The New Mangalore and Visakhapatnam refineries, which had halted Russian crude imports at the end of November 2025, continued buying Russian oil after restarting purchases in March.

Russian crude deliveries to New Mangalore rose 13 per cent month-on-month in May, while imports at Visakhapatnam jumped 42 per cent, it said.

The Paradip refinery on Odisha's east coast also unloaded its highest volume of Russian crude in two years, underscoring the continued attractiveness of discounted Russian barrels for Indian refiners despite evolving geopolitical and sanctions-related pressures.

India emerged as one of the largest buyers of Russian oil since Western sanctions and trade restrictions reshaped global energy flows following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Indian refiners have consistently increased purchases of discounted Russian crude, helping offset higher energy costs while boosting refining margins and exports of petroleum products.

The latest figures suggest Russian oil continues to account for a significant share of India's crude import basket, even as the country diversifies supplies from the Middle East, Africa and the United States.

According to CREA, China bought 50 per cent of Russia's crude exports in May, followed by India (36 per cent), Turkiye (6 per cent), and the EU (5 per cent).

"In May 2026, China remained the largest global buyer of Russian fossil fuels, accounting for 38 per cent (Euro 7.0 billion) of Russia's export revenues from the top five importers. Crude oil made up 69 per cent (Euro 4.8 bn) of China's purchases, followed by pipeline gas (Euro 618 million), then coal (Euro 525 million), and lastly LNG (Euro 510 million). Oil products (Euro 479 million) constituted the remainder of China's imports," it said.

CREA said despite the EU's ban on imports of oil products made from Russian crude on January 21, 2026, 10 shipments of oil products from refineries using Russian crude were unloaded at EU ports in the month of May.

"Refineries using Russian crude in India, Turkiye, Brunei, and Georgia exported Euro 641 million of oil products to sanctioning countries in May 2026. The importers included the EU (Euro 174 million), Australia (Euro 275 million), the US (Euro 147 million) and New Zealand (Euro 45 million). An estimated Euro 214 million of these products were refined from Russian crude," it said.

Exports to the US originated at Reliance Industries Ltd's Jamnagar refinery, the SOCAR-owned STAR refinery in Turkiye, and the Tupras Izmit refinery as well. "In the prior three months, 39 per cent of the STAR refinery's crude oil feedstock and 15 per cent of the Jamnagar refinery's feedstock came from Russia," it added. PTI ANZ SKY

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New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) There is a need for deeper collaboration among research institutions, industry and startups to accelerate the translation of scientific knowledge into market-ready solutions and national development outcomes, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday.

He said industry leaders should actively engage with research institutions and participate in shaping the country's scientific agenda.

"The objective is not merely to generate knowledge but to create technologies, enterprises and solutions that contribute to employment generation, industrial competitiveness and improved quality of life," Singh said.

He made these comments while addressing an industry-interaction session on the sidelines of the RISE Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru.

Singh emphasised the importance of shared scientific infrastructure in reducing entry barriers for startups and small enterprises.

The minister added that sophisticated facilities developed through public investment should increasingly function as common platforms accessible to innovators and industries working in emerging sectors.

During his address, Singh also highlighted that initiatives, such as the 2015 Startup India programme, have helped build a supportive ecosystem that enables the country to harness its demographic dividend and emerge as a global innovation hub.

"The country's start-up ecosystem, which comprised only around 350-400 startups about 10 years ago, has today expanded to nearly 2.3 lakh ventures, making India the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem," the minister said.

He noted that the start-up movement has emerged as a major driver of employment generation, creating nearly 24-25 lakh jobs over the last 10 years.

More than 50 per cent of India's startups are now emerging from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, demonstrating that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan centres, according to Singh.

"Entrepreneurship today is accessible to individuals with commitment, passion and technological aptitude, regardless of their location or formal educational qualifications," he said. PTI ALC RC

New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have seized 17 kg of foreign-origin gold valued cumulatively at Rs 25 crore in a coordinated operation in Kolkata and Agartala, and arrested 10 persons, the finance ministry said on Saturday.

On June 12, in Kolkata, DRI busted a smuggling syndicate while they were attempting to smuggle 11.6 kg of gold from Thailand through Kolkata airport. Seven persons, including one woman, have been arrested in the case.

The estimated value of the seized gold is Rs 17 crore.

On the same day in Agartala, DRI seized around 5.1 kg of foreign-origin gold, valued at approximately Rs 8 crore, and smuggled through the Tripura sector of the Indo-Bangladesh border. Three persons were arrested in connection with the case. The operation was conducted in coordination with Railway Protection Force. PTI JD MR

Washington, Jun 13 (PTI) The US on Saturday said it conveyed to India that any violation of its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman.

“The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

Rubio underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, Pigott said in a statement here.

The US has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, preventing transit of ships to and from the ports of the Islamic Republic as part of its efforts to restrict Tehran from profiting from oil trade.

Three vessels with Indian crew came under attack off the Oman coast this week. One of them resulted in the death of three Indian seafarers on Wednesday.

Jaishankar then called Rubio to protest their death in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

“Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after he spoke with Rubio.

Earlier on Friday, India summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks in New Delhi and told him that the American military's lethal strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members off the coast of Oman are unacceptable.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of carrying out drone attacks against Indian ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was “totally unacceptable.”

“Their (Iran's) totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together and FAST,” Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social.

Iran vehemently rejected Trump's allegation. “The US president's accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless,” the Iranian Embassy in India said.

“It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the US has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian sailors. That's pathetic!” it said in a social media post late Friday night.

Shippings through the strait have been severely disrupted since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes. Disruptions in marine traffic continue even though a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8. PTI SKU NPK

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