New Delhi, May 9: The Government of India has appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.

The Ministry of Defence, in a post on X, said that Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, is currently serving as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command.

The Ministry stated that the Admiral brings nearly four decades of distinguished service and possesses extensive operational, strategic and personnel management experience across several key appointments in the Indian Navy.

He will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is scheduled to retire on May 31, 2026.

Vinod Bhat

New Delhi: Amid the evolving situation in West Asia, the Government of India continues its efforts to keep citizens informed through regular updates. In this regard, a media briefing was held today at the National Media Centre, where officers from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, External Affairs provided updates on fuel availability, maritime operations and measures being undertaken to maintain stability across key sectors.

Energy Supply and Fuel Availability

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas provided an update on the current fuel supply situation, outlining measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG in the context of the evolving situation in West Asia. It was noted that:

Public Advisory and Citizen Awareness

• Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG as the Govt is making all efforts to ensure availability of petrol, diesel and LPG.
• Beware of rumours and rely on official sources for correct information.
• LPG consumers are requested to use digital booking platforms and avoid visiting distributors.
• Citizens are encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops.
• All citizens are requested to make necessary efforts to conserve energy in their daily use during the current situation.

Government Preparedness and Supply Management Measures

• Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has ensured that 100% supply is being made to Domestic LPG, Domestic PNG and CNG (Transport).
• For commercial LPG, priority has been given to hospitals, educational institutions. Besides this, priority has also been given to pharma, steel, automobile, seed, agriculture, etc. In addition to this, supply of 5 Kg FTL to migrant labour is also doubled based on avg. daily supply on 2nd and 3rd March 2026.
• The Government has already implemented several rationalisation measures on both the supply and demand side, including enhancing refinery production, increasing the booking interval from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas and prioritising sectors for supply.
• Alternate fuels such as kerosene and coal have been made available to ease pressure on LPG demand.
• The Ministry of Coal has directed Coal India and Singareni Collieries to supply additional coal to States for distribution to small and medium consumers.
• States have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial consumers.

Coordinated Efforts with States/UTs and Institutional Mechanisms

• State Governments are empowered under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and LPG Control Order, 2000 to monitor supply and act against hoarding and black marketing.
• Govt. of States/UTs have to play a primary role in monitoring and regulating supply situation of essential commodities including Petrol, Diesel and LPG. Govt. of India has reiterated the same via multiple letters and VCs to all States/UTs.
• The Government of India vide letters dated 27.03.2026 and 02.04.2026 have stressed the need for proactive public communication to reassure citizens regarding adequate fuel availability. Regular review meetings are being held with States/UTs. In this context, meetings were convened on 02.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG) and on 06.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG along with Secretaries of I&B and Consumer Affairs), wherein the following was emphasized:
  • To issue daily press briefings and issue regular public advisories.
  • To actively monitor and counter fake news / misinformation on social media.
  • To intensify daily enforcement drives by District admin and to continue raids and inspections in coordination with OMCs
  • To issue Commercial LPG allocation orders within their States/UTs
  • To issue SKO allocation orders for additional SKO allotted to the States/UTs.
  • To promote PNG adoptions and alternate fuels.
  • To prioritize LPG supply, especially for domestic needs, and adopt targeted distribution of 5 kg FTL cylinders to ensure supply stability.
• All States/UTs have established control rooms and district monitoring committees to curb hoarding and black marketing.
• Many states/UTs are issuing/carrying out press briefs.

Enforcement and Monitoring Actions

• Enforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG. Yesterday, more than 2000 raids were conducted across the country.
• PSU OMCs have strengthened and continued surprise inspections and imposed penalties on 378 LPG distributorships, and 76 LPG distributorships have been suspended till yesterday.

LPG Supply

Domestic LPG Supply Status:

• LPG supply continues to be affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation.
• Supply of LPG to domestic households has been prioritized.
• No dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships.
• Online LPG cylinder bookings increased to about 99% on industry basis yesterday.
• Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have increased to about 95% to prevent diversion. DAC is received on the registered mobile number of the consumer.
• During last 2 days, more than 97 Lakh LPG cylinders were delivered against bookings of around 87.66 Lakh cylinders.

Commercial LPG Supply and Allocation Measures:

• Total commercial LPG allocation has been increased to about 70% of pre-crisis levels, including 10% reform-linked allocation.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 06.04.2026 has conveyed that daily quantity of 5 Kg FTL cylinders in each State available for disbursal to migrant labourers is being doubled based on the average daily supply (Number of cylinders) to migrant labourers during 2nd-3rd March 2026 beyond the limit of 20% mentioned in letter dated 21.03.2026. These 5 Kg FTL cylinders are at disposal of the State Government for supplying only to migrant labourers in their State with assistance of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
• During last 2 days, more than 1.11 Lakh 5 Kg FTL cylinders were sold.
• Since 3rd April 2026, PSU OMCs have organised more than 10,700 awareness camps for 5 Kg FTL Cylinders, wherein more than 1,89,500 – 5Kg FTL cylinders were also sold.
• A three-member committee of Executive Directors of IOCL, HPCL and BPCL, in consultation with State authorities and industry bodies finalizes the plan for the sale of Commercial LPG in the States/UTs.
• During last 2 days, total of 15493 MT (Equivalent to more than 8.15 Lakh of 19 Kg LPG Cylinders) of Commercial LPG has been sold.
• During last 2 days, total of 613 MT of Auto LPG has been sold by PSU OMCs.

Natural Gas Supply and PNG Expansion Initiatives

• Consumers have been prioritised with 100% supplies to D-PNG and CNG-Transport.
• The overall gas allocation to fertilizer plants has been enhanced to approximately 98% of their six-month average consumption.

• Additionally, gas supply to other industrial and commercial sectors, including supplies through CGD networks, is enhanced up to 80%.
• CGD entities have been advised to prioritize PNG connections for commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and canteens across all their GAs, to address concerns regarding the availability of commercial LPG.
• CGD companies including IGL, MGL, GAIL Gas and BPCL are offering incentives for domestic and commercial PNG connections.
• States/UTs and Central Ministries have been requested to expedite approvals required for expansion of CGD networks.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 18.03.2026 has offered all States/UTs additional 10% allocation of commercial LPG to States provided they can help in long term transition from LPG to PNG.
• 22 States/UTs are receiving additional commercial LPG allocation linked to PNG expansion reforms.
• The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways vide letter dated 24.03.26 has adopted an ‘Accelerated Approval Framework for CGD infrastructure with reduced timelines’ as a special for 3 months to process applications pertaining to CGD infrastructure on priority.
• The Government of India vide Gazette dated 24.03.2026 has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Order provides a streamlined and time-bound framework for laying and expanding pipelines across the country, addressing delays in approvals and access to land, and enabling faster development of natural gas infrastructure, including in residential areas. It is expected to accelerate PNG network growth, enhance last-mile connectivity, and support the transition to cleaner fuels, thereby strengthening energy security and advancing India’s gas-based economy.
• PNGRB has directed CGD entities to expedite D-PNG connections. Also, the National PNG Drive 2.0 has been extended till 30.06.2026 to sustain momentum in PNG expansion.
• To encourage a cleaner, more secure and self-reliant energy future, the Government of India has developed a model draft State CBG Policy. The model policy is intended to serve as a comprehensive flexible guiding framework to enable States to create their own investor-friendly and implementation-oriented ecosystem for CBG development. Those States which opt for this, will be prioritized for the next tranche of additional allocation of commercial LPG.
• MoEFCC vide order dated 07.04.2026 has directed CPCB to issue necessary directions to SPCB/PCCs for granting consent to establish or consent to operate within 15 days for CGD network/infrastructure.
• Since March 2026, about 6.50 Lakh PNG connections have been gasified and infrastructure has been created for additional 2.66 Lakh connections, taking the total to 9.16 lakh connections. Further, about 7.08 Lakh customers have been registered for new connections.
• Till 07.05.2026, more than 50,400 PNG consumers have surrendered their LPG connections via MYPNGD.in website.

Crude Position and Refinery Operations

• All refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, while sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained.
• Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption.
• An inter-ministerial Joint Working Group (JWG) has been set up to ensure availability of petrochemical feedstock supply for the domestic market. Subsequently, Govt. of India vide order dated 01.04.2026 has permitted Oil Refinery companies including Petrochemical Complexes to make certain minimum quantities of C3 & C4 streams available for critical sectors as determined by Centre for High Technology (CHT).
• Based on the requests received from the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Chemicals & Petro Chemicals (DCPC), Dept. for Promotion of Industry and internal trade (DPIIT), the provision for 1120 MT/day, from LPG pool, has been made for Pharma, Chemical and paint sector companies.
• Since 9th April 2026, about 13,150 MT of propylene and more than 1970 MT of Butyl Acrylate has been sold by Mumbai, Kochi, Vizag, Chennai, Mathura and Gujarat refineries to Chemical, Pharma and Paint Industry.

Retail Fuel Availability and pricing Measures

• All Retail outlets are operating normally across the country.
• The Middle East crisis has led to an abnormal increase in crude prices; however, to protect consumers, the Government of India has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre.
• There are adequate stocks of petrol and diesel available at all Petrol Pumps in the country. Regular Retail Prices for Petrol and Diesel are unchanged and there is no price increase at PSU OMCs Retail Outlets.

Maritime Safety and Shipping Operations

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways provided an update on the prevailing maritime situation in the Persian Gulf, detailing the measures being undertaken to ensure the safety and security of Indian vessels and crew in the region. It was stated that:

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations.
• All Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 48 hours.
• No incidents involving Indian vessels or foreign vessels with Indian seafarers have been reported in the past 48 hours.
• DG Shipping Control Room has handled 8,737 calls and more than 19,314 emails since activation. In the past 48 hours, a total of 167 calls and 582 emails have been received.
• The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has facilitated the safe repatriation of more than 3,019 Indian seafarers so far, including 20 in the last 48 hours from various locations across the Gulf region.
• Port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported.

Safety of Indian Nationals in the Region

The Ministry of External Affairs continues to monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region, with focused efforts on ensuring safety and welfare of the Indian community in the region. It was informed that:

• Outreach to countries in the Gulf region continue under the direction of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• Foreign Secretary of India, Shri Vikram Misri, paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on 7 May 2026. Earlier, External Affairs Minister visited UAE from 11-12 April, 2026 and National Security Advisor visited UAE from 25-26 April, 2026. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas had also visited Qatar from 9-10 April 2026. And NSA had visited Saudi Arabia on 19 April 2026.
• During the visit, Foreign Secretary met H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State and Special Envoy for India and H.E. Khaldoon Al Mubarak, MD and CEO, Mubadala Investment Company.
• Foreign Secretary held a detailed review of the full spectrum of the bilateral cooperation with H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State and Special Envoy for India. They reviewed ongoing bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, economic cooperation, energy, connectivity, defence and security, fintech, health, education, culture and people to people connect. The two sides also exchanged views on the prevailing situation in the West Asia region and other regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• Foreign Secretary also participated in a trilateral meeting under the India–France–UAE framework, along with H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, and H.E. Martin Briens, Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to the trilateral partnership and agreed on a structured roadmap with defined timelines.

• The Ministry of External Affairs is in regular contact with State Governments and Union Territories for sharing of information and better alignment of efforts.
• The dedicated special control room in the Ministry is operational to respond to queries from Indian nationals and their families.
• Indian embassies and consulates continue to operate round-the-clock helplines to provide timely assistance and are proactively assisting our citizens. They are also in close contact with the local Governments.
• Regular advisories are being issued including information related to local government guidelines, flight and travel situations, consular services and various welfare measures being undertaken for the community.
• Indian Missions are actively engaged with the resident Indian community. They are regularly interacting with the Indian community associations, organizations, professional groups, and Indian companies to address their concerns.
• Government is according high priority to the welfare of Indian seafarers in the region. Indian Missions are extending all assistance to them including coordination with the local authorities and agencies, extending consular assistance, and assisting for requests to return to India.
• The overall flight situation continues to improve with additional flights operating from the region to various destinations in India.
• UAE airspace is open. Indian and UAE carriers are operating flights from UAE to various destinations in India.
• Flights continue to operate from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to various destinations in India.
• Qatar airspace is partially open. Air India, Air India Express, Indigo and Qatar Airways are operating flights from Qatar to various destinations in India.
• Kuwait airspace is open. Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways are operating flights from Kuwait to India.
• Bahrain airspace is open. Air India Express, Indigo and Gulf Air are operating flights from Bahrain to various destinations in India.
• Iraq airspace is open with limited flight operations to destinations in the region, which can be used for onward travel to India.
• Iran airspace is partially open. The ministry has advised Indian nationals to avoid travelling to Iran and urged those already there to leave, with the support of Indian embassy. So far, Indian Embassy in Tehran has facilitated movement of 2,546 Indian nationals out of Iran through land border routes.
• Israel airspace is open and limited flight operations have resumed to destinations in the region, which can be used for onward travel to India.

Vinod Bhat

New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today inaugurated “Lakshya 2047” Centre for Future Skills, Cadaveric Centre and Advanced Medical Simulation facilities at Parul University here.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said India is moving at a “very fast pace” in emerging technologies including Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductors and Deep-Tech, with the country’s youth set to play the central role in building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The Minister outlined the government’s broader push to align higher education with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity and quantum technologies. He said the Centre, developed in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Ethnotech and Cambridge University Press and Assessment, would train students in nine future-technology domains with globally recognised certifications. Highlighting progress under the National Quantum Mission, the Minister said India has already completed 1,000 km of secure quantum communication within just three years, achieving the target in less than half the projected timeline, and added that the eight-year Mission is advancing rapidly through four thematic hubs and collaborations with institutions across the country.

The Minister said the India AI Mission launched in 2024 is creating a strong ecosystem around compute infrastructure, datasets, innovation and future skills. Referring to India’s growing global standing in innovation, he said the country today ranks third globally in the startup ecosystem and has crossed one lakh patents, a majority of them filed by Indian residents. India also ranks among the top nations globally in scientific publications, with Indian research increasingly receiving international citations and recognition.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said the pace of technological evolution has made continuous skilling and re-skilling essential, especially in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Quantum Technologies and Semiconductor Design. He said India’s demographic advantage, with nearly 70 percent of the population below the age of 40 years, presents a major opportunity to emerge as a global skilled workforce hub over the next two to three decades.

The Minister said the Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted an integrated and collaborative approach towards innovation, research and skilling, moving beyond traditional silos and encouraging greater participation from academia, startups and the private sector. He referred to initiatives such as the National Education Policy 2020, the National Quantum Mission, India AI Mission, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Atal Tinkering Labs and various startup-support programmes aimed at nurturing innovation from the school level onwards.

Highlighting the Government’s emphasis on inclusive scientific growth, Dr. Jitendra Singh spoke about dedicated programmes for women scientists, school students, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as well as support mechanisms for universities and young researchers through schemes such as PURSE, FIST, STUTI and technology innovation platforms. He said these initiatives are designed to democratise access to science, research infrastructure and innovation opportunities across the country.

On Artificial Intelligence, the Minister said India is pursuing an approach rooted in inclusion, responsibility and public good. Referring to the Global South AI Summit hosted by India earlier this year and the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on responsible AI, he said technology must serve the most vulnerable and underserved sections of society. “One has to be intelligent enough to use Artificial Intelligence,” he remarked, adding that AI guided by ethics and equity can become a powerful force for healthcare, governance and social transformation.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also referred to the opening of India’s nuclear sector for greater private participation, including in nuclear medicine research and applications, describing it as a major step towards expanding innovation and vocational opportunities in advanced healthcare technologies.

Calling upon the youth to become active partners in the journey towards Viksit Bharat, the Minister said the year 2047 will belong to the present generation of young Indians, who will be at the peak of their energy, careers and capabilities when the country completes 100 years of Independence. He said the Government’s responsibility is to build their capacity and create opportunities so that India’s growth story is driven by innovation, science and skilled human resources.

Jaipur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Operation Sindoor reflected the Indian military’s swift, precise and coordinated response to safeguard national interests, while urging the armed forces to remain fully prepared to tackle emerging security challenges.

Addressing the ongoing joint military commanders’ conference in Jaipur, Singh said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s growing military capabilities and symbolised the country’s collective resolve and evolving defence strategy.

During the conference, a comprehensive review of the combat preparedness of the Army, Navy and Air Force was carried out in view of the changing regional security environment.

The Defence Minister called upon the commanders of the three services to remain future-ready by learning from Operation Sindoor as well as the prevailing global security scenario. He stressed the need to strengthen capabilities in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, data analytics and secure communication networks to effectively deal with future warfare challenges.

Singh said future conflicts would increasingly be influenced by hybrid threats, information dominance and simultaneous operations across cyber, space, electromagnetic and cognitive domains.

Highlighting the importance of technological advancements, he emphasised integrated national preparedness across all spectrums of conflict. He also appreciated the progress made in enhancing jointness, integration and technological adoption among the three services.

“Future wars will not be won solely through weaponry, but through innovative thinking and enhanced synergy,” Singh said while asking military commanders to cultivate the “element of surprise” to maintain a strategic edge over adversaries.

He also advised the armed forces to remain alert to possible surprise tactics by enemies and stay ahead in preparedness.

Reiterating the commitment of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards strengthening the armed forces, Singh said special focus is being laid on acquiring advanced weapons, platforms and promoting research in niche defence technologies.