Oman emerges as an alternative to Qatar for India’s LNG supplies

New Delhi: Faced with a shortage of LNG due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, India has stepped up supplies of LNG from Oman as an alternative. As the world’s fourth-largest buyer of LNG has seen its Qatari shipments blocked to zero, Oman has stepped up with supplies of almost 489,000 tonnes in March, accounting for nearly 30% of its total 1.63 tonnes of imports, according to data from ICRA. This has marked a dramatic reversal from early 2026, where Qatar was responsible for almost 47% of India’s LNG imports. 

The Oman Advantage

For India, Oman’s unique geographical position offers it a hedge against the turmoil in the Middle East. Unlike Qatar, Kuwairt or the UAE, Oman features extensive coastal port infrastructure that sits directly on the Arabian sea, allowing LNG tankers to load and navigate directly to India’s regasification terminals at Dahej or Hazira without entering the volatile waters of the Persian Gulf.

Along with that, India has signed the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Oman, allowing it to get lower import duties on critical energy components while creating institutional investment channels for Indian state-run oil firms. 

Engineering a Risk Mitigation Strategy

With this, India has been working to insulate its economy from the conflict in the Middle East, even as supplies have been ramped up from Nigeria and the United States as well.

This pivot has shown how India’s economic sovereignty and long-term planning have helped it secure supplies from a highly diversified supply network, where long-term trade partnerships have helped boost supplies for the country.