Guwahati Refinery solely supplied smokeless fuel to Indian Army during Ops Sindoor: Official
Guwahati (PTI): The Guwahati Refinery, owned by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), on Thursday said it exclusively supplied 19 thousand metric tonnes (TMT) of smokeless fuel to Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor.
In an interaction with senior journalists, Guwahati Refinery (GR) executive director Sunil Kanti said the unit is one of the very few in the country which can produce Low Sulphur Low Aromatics SKO (LSLA SKO), and it was the sole unit to provide the specialised fuel to the army during Operation Sindoor.
"The Indian Army had requested us sometime back to produce a special fuel, which would not emit smoke. They wanted it to keep our soldiers warm in extreme cold conditions. Usually, all types of fuels emit smoke when it is burnt," he said.
Kanti said that the research and development wing of Guwahati Refinery then developed LSLA SKO for the armed forces stationed in high-altitude locations.
"During Operation Sindoor, only our refinery produced and supplied 19 TMT of LSLA SKO within record time. The product was transported to Misamari, Siliguri and Agra for further transportation to Army bases in cold border areas," he added.
From Misamari, the LSLA was sent to Arunachal Pradesh, while the product supplied to Siliguri was further transported to Sikkim, the ED-cum-Refinery Head said.
"The LSLA we had sent to Agra was given to the Indian Army stationed in Ladakh region. This is a matter of pride that Guwahati Refinery played an important role during the country's defence mechanism in Operation Sindoor," he added.
The LSLA contains approximately 1 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur against a permissible limit of 10 ppm, 2-3 per cent aromatics against 4 per cent upper limit and 30 mm smoke point.
The Guwahati Refinery is the country's first public sector unit, inaugurated in January 1962 with a capacity of 0.75 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA).
The capacity was enhanced to 1.2 MMTPA in 2023. Currently, the crude requirement of the refinery is distributed between those from Assam and imported ones. Assam crude constitutes around 40 per cent of GR's input, while 60 per cent are imported, Kanti said.
"Earlier, we used to get fully Assam crude. But after Numaligarh Refinery came into existence, our share reduced and there is no fixed amount. Assam crude's first priority is Digboi and Numaligarh refineries. So, we are dependent on imported crude, coming from Paradip via Barauni," he added.
The senior official also said that GR is constructing a Catalytic Reforming unit (CRU), which is expected to be commissioned by May this year.
"We at present do not have the facility to produce reformate, which is a low-sulfur and high-octane-number gasoline blend component from Naphtha. This stream is required for the production of gasoline and is currently imported from other refineries," he added.
Kanti said that the upcoming 90 KTPA CRU will enable Guwahati Refinery to be self-sufficient to produce gasoline in the future.
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What is Iran’s 10-point plan? Key demands ahead of US talks in Islamabad
Tehran/Islamabad: Iran has outlined a 10-point plan as the basis for upcoming talks with the United States, expected to begin in Islamabad on April 11, according to a statement from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.
The plan lays out Tehran’s key political, military and economic demands, and is being seen as a framework for negotiations following the recent escalation in the region.
Strait of Hormuz at the centre
A major focus of the plan is the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. Iran has proposed “controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the Iranian armed forces,” which it says would give the country a unique economic and geopolitical position.
The plan also calls for the “establishment of a safe transit protocol” in the Strait that would guarantee Iran’s dominance under an agreed mechanism.
Call to end conflict
Iran has demanded “the necessity of ending the war against all elements of the axis of resistance,” signalling its expectation that hostilities should stop not only in Iran but also involving allied groups in the region.
US troop withdrawal
Another key demand is the “withdrawal of US combat forces from all bases and deployment points in the region,” indicating Tehran’s long-standing position against American military presence in West Asia.
Sanctions relief and compensation
The plan places strong emphasis on economic measures. It calls for “full payment of Iran’s damages according to estimates,” along with “the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions and resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security Council.”
It also seeks “the release of all Iranian assets and properties frozen abroad,” which have been a major point of contention for years.
Binding global guarantee
Finally, Iran has demanded that all these terms be formally recognised through “a binding Security Council resolution,” suggesting it wants international legal backing to ensure enforcement.
What this means
The 10-point plan reflects Iran’s broader push for security guarantees, economic relief and regional influence. The upcoming talks in Islamabad are expected to test how far both sides are willing to negotiate on these demands.
