New Delhi, March 18 -- The Indian government is in talks with Iranian authorities for the safe passage of six India-bound vessels carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and two crude oil carriers to help tide over the short-term crunch, two people aware of the matter said.

The LPG tankers carry around 270,000 tonnes of cooking gas, enough to fill around 1.9 million domestic cooking gas cylinders of 14.2 kg capacity), equivalent to three days of consumption. The two countries are working on a priority schedule for the staggered passage of all eight vessels, the people said on the condition of anonymity.

The talks have been "positive," with the passage to be planned in a staggered manner, one of the two people cited above said. He added t...