New Delhi, April 6 -- Public sector refineries in the country will delay their maintenance schedules due to the ongoing war in West Asia and the resulting supply constraints, an official said on Monday.

To ensure a stable and continued supply of fuels, refineries of state-run Indian Oil Corp. (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corp. (BPCL) have postponed routine maintenance shutdowns at some of their refineries, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, told reporters on Monday.

Delaying refinery maintenance becomes critical as India needs a regular domestic supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is in short supply amid conflict. Demand for petrol and diesel is also increasing at a record growth pace e...