Hardeep Singh Puri is an Indian politician, author and former diplomat who currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. A 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Puri had a 39-year diplomatic career before entering politics.
He served as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva from 2002 to 2005 and in New York from 2009 to 2013. He also served as India’s Ambassador to Brazil and Deputy High Commissioner to the UK. In August 2011, he became President of the United Nations Security Council and also chaired its Counter-Terrorism Committee.
Puri joined the BJP after retiring from the IFS in 2013 and entered the Union Council of Ministers in 2017 as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs. He became a Union Minister in 2021 and was given charge of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2024.
Born in Delhi on February 15, 1952, Puri holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in History from Hindu College, Delhi University. He is also the author of books including Delusional Politics, Perilous Interventions and Separating the Wheat from the Chaff.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to a parliamentary debate over electoral integrity allegations during the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign in Karnal, Haryana. The confrontation coincided with political friction over Jharkhand Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari's remarks referencing regional unrest in Bangladesh and Nepal, which drew counteroffensives from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In response, Congress called for a direct debate between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi while alleging parliamentary microphone muting. Concurrently, internal disciplinary actions led to the suspension of more than 200 Youth Congress office-bearers across eight states. Parliamentary discussions also evaluated floor decorum, speaking allocations, and attendance metrics. On policy matters, the central government detailed revisions to the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, introducing an optional two-year retention framework for non-absorbed Agniveers seeking permanent integration. Separately, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri secured an unopposed election to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, and United States midterm election results were analyzed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to a parliamentary debate over electoral integrity allegations during the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign in Karnal, Haryana.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh after the nomination papers of two opposition-backed candidates were rejected during scrutiny. Returning officer Umesh Sharma declared him elected on the final day of withdrawal of nominations. Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal collected Puri's certificate of election in Bhopal alongside MLA Rameshwar Sharma. The bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of former Union Minister L. Murugan, whose term was set to conclude in April 2030.
A political war of optics has erupted between the India bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party over allegations of vote chori and the Election Commission. Following the opposition alliance's massive show of strength at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi featuring Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, and Mamata Banerjee, the BJP launched a multi-city counteroffensive. Leading the street offensive, BJP chief Nitin Nabin held padayatras in Bihar and Bengal, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah mounted a countercharge in Hyderabad, offering a special session of Parliament for debate while accusing the Congress of relying on anarchy to stay relevant. The clashes extended across multiple cities with counterprotests and competing claims over crowd turnouts, including sharp disputes over chair counts at rally venues. With public impeachments, padayatras, and street demonstrations playing out simultaneously, both sides continue to battle fiercely to control the political narrative and perception.
A political showdown erupted in Delhi ahead of planned parallel marches by the Opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Visuals from Minto Road showed Congress workers tearing down Bharatiya Janata Party hoardings depicting 1984 anti-Sikh riot atrocities. The incident occurred prior to Rahul Gandhi's scheduled march towards Ramlila Maidan, while the Bharatiya Janata Party organised a counter-march from Hari Nagar to Tilak Nagar to commemorate the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. Leaders including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had earlier criticised the Congress for organising political demonstrations between 1 November and 4 November, stating that the period is traditionally observed in prayer and community service by the Sikh community. Massive crowds of Bharatiya Janata Party workers gathered in Hari Nagar ahead of their march, while tensions escalated across the capital over the vandalised posters.
Ahead of the INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, the Bharatiya Janata Party mounted a sharp offensive against the opposition, invoking the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The BJP organised a march from Tilak Nagar to Hari Nagar in Delhi, stating that the pain and wounds of the 1984 victims remain alive and accusing the Congress of attempting to bury them under political theatrics. Referring to the massacre of Sikhs following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, party leaders questioned the timing of the opposition's mobilisation during a period of mourning. The BJP characterised the INDIA bloc's campaign as an effort to relaunch a failed leader ahead of upcoming regional elections. Meanwhile, extensive security arrangements and police fortifications, including paramilitary forces, were deployed across the national capital to monitor the competing demonstrations.
The national capital is set for a massive political face-off on November 1 as the INDIA bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party take their respective protests to the streets. The opposition alliance plans a march starting from Minto Bridge and culminating at Ramlila Maidan, targeting alleged irregularities in the Special Summary Revision process and demanding the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Left representatives, are scheduled to participate under extensive crowd mobilization efforts. Conversely, the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal condemned the rally's timing, citing the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. In counter-mobilization, the BJP organized a demonstration from Tilak Nagar to Hari Nagar with riot victims and community members. To prevent disruptions, Delhi Police and central forces deployed over 4,000 personnel, AI-enabled CCTV monitoring, and drones along key routes.
Delhi is bracing for a major political face-off on November 1 as the INDIA Bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party take their battles to the streets. The opposition INDIA Bloc has organised a mega march and rally from Minto Bridge to Ramlila Maidan, demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged irregularities in the Special Summary Revision process. Leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee are slated to attend. Concurrently, the Bharatiya Janata Party is staging a counter-march from Tilak Nagar to Hari Nagar in remembrance of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, led by leaders including Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal sharply criticised the Congress for holding a political rally during a period of mourning and seva. Delhi Police have cleared the Ramlila Maidan gathering with strict conditions, deploying extensive CCTV coverage, drones, and paramilitary forces.
The Bharatiya Janata Party Central Election Committee has announced Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. The seat fell vacant after Union Minister L. Murugan resigned from the Upper House representing Madhya Pradesh. Puri's nomination comes as his current Rajya Sabha term representing Uttar Pradesh ends in November, boosting prospects of his continuation in the Union Cabinet. The development highlights Puri's key role in managing India's energy requirements amid global crises.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Central Election Committee has approved Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of former Union Minister of State L. Murugan on October 13. Hardeep Singh Puri previously represented Uttar Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha and handles the petroleum and natural gas portfolio in the Union Cabinet. The nomination ensures his continuation in the Union Council of Ministers, which requires a minister to secure parliamentary membership within six months. The development also addresses community representation ahead of upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, where the BJP aims to strengthen its political positioning and possible outreach with the Shiromani Akali Dal. Furthermore, the decision reflects the party leadership's trust in Puri's diplomatic experience and handling of energy affairs amid opposition scrutiny.
Heat has mounted on Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri after the US Department of Justice released photographs showing him in an apparent one-on-one meeting with convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein. Opposition Congress leaders, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge, have demanded answers from the central government. Puri had previously maintained that he never engaged in a one-on-one meeting with Epstein and was only part of a delegation. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi linked the development to the India visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging that national interests are being compromised. The controversy emerges alongside questions surrounding Puri's political standing and Rajya Sabha renomination.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has overhauled its Rajya Sabha nominations for Uttar Pradesh, dropping all eight of its sitting members of parliament from the state. Among those excluded from the candidate list are Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and B. L. Verma, along with prominent parliamentarian Neeraj Shekhar. The development has triggered discussions surrounding potential implications for the Union Cabinet, including possibilities of a ministerial reshuffle or alternative nominations, given recent departures such as Ravneet Bittu and George Kurian. The party's candidate selection in Uttar Pradesh reflects a targeted social engineering approach, giving prominent representation to Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Brahmin communities to balance regional caste dynamics ahead of upcoming assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers to assess the impact of the West Asia conflict on India’s fuel supply and inflation.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has dismissed rumours of an impending lockdown in India as completely false, stating there is no such proposal under consideration by the Government of India.
The government has sharply cut the additional excise duty on petrol and diesel amid the West Asia conflict and rising global fuel prices.
The government on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting to address the West Asia conflict's impact on the nation's energy security, assuring leaders that there is no oil or LPG crisis.
The shortage impacts 10,000 scheduled weddings in Punjab and Chandigarh and has forced street vendors to cease operations. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has directed food plazas to utilise electric cooking methods.
The Union Cabinet has eased Foreign Direct Investment norms for Chinese companies in the electronics and solar sectors. This strategic shift occurs as experts debate the risks of economic dependence on China amid unresolved border disputes.
In this coverage, Rajdeep Sardesai spoke with the former Foreign Secretary of India, Shivshankar Menon, about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East involving the US, Israel, and Iran. During the conversation, Menon questioned India's "strategic silence" over the ongoing crisis.
The big talking point of this episode of To The Point is the political fallout from a shirtless protest by Youth Congress members at the India AI Summit, which led to multiple arrests.
