India's recent petroleum price hike exposes its critically inadequate strategic petroleum and gas reserves. Its seven-day SPR supply significantly trails the US and China, which possess vastly larger reserves for energy security. India’s vulnerability is pronounced in LPG and LNG storage, lacking crucial underground facilities. This deficiency, addressable decades ago, prevents effective hedging against supply disruptions and volatile spot markets, curtailing India’s strategic autonomy. Robust reserves, as demonstrated globally, are vital for national energy security and economic stability.