India, March 23 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has more than 53 lakh metric tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves adding that the country is also working on arrangements for more than 65 million metric tonnes of additional storage.

"India has more than 53 lakh metric tonnes of oil in its strategic reserve. We have increased our refining capacities. We are in touch with other countries to ensure supply from wherever possible. We are keeping a watch on the shipping routes near the gulf region. Our effort is to ensure that ships carrying oil, gas, fertilisers and other important goods should reach India safely," he said.

In a statement in Lok Sabha, PM Modi assured that the government is "relentlessly trying to minim...