Rajnath GoM on supply chains amid West Asia...

CURRENT AFFAIRS | 12 MAY 2026

CLAT GK + CLAT GK + DEFENCE & ENERGY SECURITY

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on May 11, 2026 to assess India’s exposure to the escalating West Asia crisis. The empowered panel — including Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways & IT), Hardeep Singh Puri (Petroleum) and Sarbananda Sonowal (Ports & Shipping) — reviewed crude oil, natural gas, LPG, fertiliser and shipping-route vulnerabilities. The numbers are sobering yet stable: India has approximately 60 days of crude oil cover, 60 days of natural gas, and 45 days of LPG cooking gas in inventory.

Of these, only the dedicated Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) — operated by Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas — carries 5.33 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude across three sites: Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT). That equates to roughly 9.5 days of net imports — sufficient for short-term shock-absorption but well below the International Energy Agency’s 90-day strategic stocks benchmark applicable to its members. India, importantly, is not a full IEA member — only an “Association” country since March 2017.

Want structured CLAT preparation? Try our free 5-day Bodh Demo Course with live classes and expert guidance. Start Free →

Constitutional / Legal Framework

Three statutes and one constitutional anchor frame India’s energy security architecture. The Petroleum Act 1934 regulates storage and transport; the Essential Commodities Act 1955 §3 empowers the Centre to control production, supply and distribution of petroleum products in emergencies; Article 73 of the Constitution makes the Union’s executive power co-extensive with its legislative power, allowing Groups of Ministers (GoMs) to coordinate inter-ministerial responses without fresh parliamentary mandate. ISPRL was incorporated in 2004 under the Companies Act with MoP&NG as parent, and operates Phase I (5.33 MMT) commissioned 2018; Phase II adds 6.5 MMT at Chandikhol, Odisha (4 MMT) and Padur II (2.5 MMT).

Why This Matters for CLAT 2027

CLAT Defence + Polity passages routinely test (a) the executive power of GoMs under Article 73, (b) SPR architecture and ISPRL ownership, and (c) India’s IEA status. Most-tested traps: India is NOT a full IEA member (Association status only, since 2017) — so the 90-day rule does not legally bind India. Aspirants must distinguish “commercial crude inventory” (held by IOC, BPCL, HPCL, refiners) from “strategic petroleum reserve” (sovereign, held by ISPRL). Legal reasoning may pair this with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act 2006 and PNGRB’s tariff-setting powers.

Key Facts at a Glance

Aspect	Detail
GoM chaired by	Rajnath Singh (Def Min)
Date	May 11, 2026
Crude oil cushion	60 days
Natural gas cushion	60 days
LPG cushion	45 days
SPR Phase I capacity	5.33 MMT (3 sites)
SPR sites	Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur
SPR days of net imports	~9.5 days
ISPRL incorporated	2004 (under MoP&NG)
IEA status	Association country (Mar 2017)
IEA strategic stocks rule	90 days (not binding on India)

Mnemonic

60-60-45 = Crude 60d + Gas 60d + LPG 45d. SPR: V-M-P (Visakha, Mangaluru, Padur) = 5.33 MMT. IEA = Association, NOT member.

Test Yourself — 10-Question Quiz

Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions

Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.

Written by Test User