No need for panic, enough available in world: Puri on impact of war on oil

India will be able to navigate through any oil supply shock that may result from the potential widening of the conflict in the Middle East, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.

International oil prices have flared to near USD 79 per barrel from about USD 70 per barrel in just over a week's time, as the market waited to see if Israel would retaliate against Iran for the October 1 missile attack.

"There is no cause for panic," Puri said. "More than enough oil is available in the world."

While India, the world's third largest oil importing and consuming nation, is more than 85 per cent dependent on imports to meet its crude oil needs, the situation is "manageable", he said. "There is no need for concern."

"We are pretty confident we will be able to navigate as we had done in the past," he said.

This is primarily because the market is awash with oil supplies and if some parties hold back production or there are supply issues, there are new suppliers in the market to fill i