India on Wednesday expressed hope that crisis in conflict-hit Iraq won’t affect India’s oil supply from the country.

New Delhi, June 25/Nationalturk – With ISIS and other Sunni militants making gains in Iraq and reportedly taking over Iraq’s largest oil refinery in Baiji, India on Wednesday said the country hopes that crisis in the Middle East country won’t affect India’s oil supply.

“The present situation in Iraq was a matter of concern. We hope that the turmoil in the Middle East country won’t affect the oil supplies to India,” Indian Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh told media persons in Srinagar, summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir.

According to officials, about 14 percent of India’s oil supply comes from Iraq.

In view of ISIS militant gains in Iraq, there are concerns that oil supply from the country may reduce, which may in turn affect its flow to other countries.

“Our oil pipeline comes from Southern Iraq, where there is tension. So far the ISIS militants have not targeted the pipeline,” Singh said.

‘India keeping close watch on Iraq situation’

The minister, however, said Indian government is keeping a close watch on the situation in Iraq and would take measures accordingly.

The Indian minister expressed hope that situation in Iraq will improve in the coming days and country’s oil supplies will remain unaffected.

According to media reports, Iraqi’s Shiite forces backed by helicopter gunships have fought for a week to defend Iraq’s largest oil refinery in Baiji, north of Baghdad. While militants say they have taken control over the refinery, Iraqi Shiite government said its troops continue to battle militants there.

The Baiji refinery, according to Iraqi experts, supplies Iraq with a third of its refined fuel and nearly a tenth of its electricity.

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