India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, yesterday stripped the high-profile petroleum minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, of his portfolio in a move that could have a big impact on the country's strategy to boost its energy supplies.

In a broad cabinet reshuffle that saw the appointment of 10 new ministers, Mr Singh named Murli Deora, a senior Congress party leader from the state of Maharashtra, as the new petroleum minister and moved Mr Aiyar to the margins of government in the youth and sports affairs ministry.