🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's LPG Stock. People line up to buy cooking gas cylinders for domestic use in an urban center. The repercussions of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As military actions on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, availability of cooking gas are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most restaurants run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has ceased operations due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are fluctuating as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the authorities states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of household consumers and officials say supplies are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Roughly 60% of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been caused by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the description reads. India brings in up to 90% of the crude it uses, leaving it highly exposed to problems in international markets. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be overstated. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the deficit could be partly compensated for by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The real vulnerability is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative states opportunistic profiteering. "Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
People line up to buy cooking gas cylinders for domestic use in an urban center. The repercussions of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As military actions on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, availability of cooking gas are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most restaurants run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has ceased operations due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are fluctuating as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the authorities states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of household consumers and officials say supplies are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Roughly 60% of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been caused by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the description reads. India brings in up to 90% of the crude it uses, leaving it highly exposed to problems in international markets. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be overstated. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the deficit could be partly compensated for by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The real vulnerability is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative states opportunistic profiteering. "Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.