Amid global fuel supply concerns following tensions related to Iran, Bangladesh has requested diesel supply from India to address potential shortages. India has said it will review the request but will prioritize its own domestic demand first.
According to a report by The Economic Times, India is currently examining Bangladesh’s request for diesel supply. However, New Delhi has indicated that its internal fuel demand will take priority before any external supply commitments.
Speaking on Thursday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that the request from Bangladesh is under review. He said the Indian government will consider diesel availability and refinery capacity before making a final decision.
Jaiswal also noted that several other countries, including Sri Lanka and Maldives, have also requested petroleum products from India, and those requests are being evaluated as well.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Mahmud Tuku confirmed that the country had requested additional diesel from India as part of emergency preparedness measures.
After a meeting at the Secretariat in Dhaka with Pranay Verma, he told journalists that Bangladesh had formally asked for extra diesel to deal with any potential crisis. However, the exact quantity requested has not yet been disclosed.
Pranay Verma also confirmed that the Bangladesh government had sent an official letter seeking energy assistance, and India will take a decision after internal consultations.
In the past, most of Bangladesh’s diesel imports came from Middle Eastern countries, particularly Kuwait. However, over the last two decades the sources of imports have diversified significantly.
Data from National Board of Revenue shows that during the 2006–07 fiscal year about 91 percent of diesel imported by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation came from Kuwait, while India accounted for only about 9 percent.
Over time, Singapore emerged as a major supplier. Countries such as Malaysia, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have also become significant sources of diesel imports.
In the first eight months of the current fiscal year (July–February), Bangladesh imported around 2.3 million tons of diesel. Of that amount, about 41 percent came from Singapore and 24 percent from Malaysia, reducing the country’s dependence on Middle Eastern suppliers.
