‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's LPG Availability.
The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now being felt in India's kitchens.
As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether.
Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in commercial eateries.
"The situation is dire. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.
Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or piped gas, and the shortages are now being felt across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going."
Regional Impact
In a financial hub, media reports say up to a fifth of eateries are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their fuel reserves have shrunk with little backup. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.
Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies come and go. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario."
Retailers report a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly.
Government Stance
Yet, the officials states there is adequate supply.
India has more than a vast number of household consumers and officials say stocks are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the war in the Gulf affect energy markets.
About six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the war.
The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about 25%. Business-grade fuel is being allocated for vital industries such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open".
"Some panic booking and hoarding has been caused by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for home fuel remains about 60 hours," says a government spokesperson.
Growing Panic
Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads.
According to data from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.
India imports the overwhelming majority of its crude oil. Around 50% of its petroleum shipments - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.
Based on shipping data and industry information, additional Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day.
"Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.
Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness
The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, commentators observe.
India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint.
Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only lift domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.
In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be partially mitigated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks."
What may be intensifying the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of panic buying.
An industry representative claims exploitative practices.
"Retailers are misusing the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off."
For now, India's oil supplies may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next refill.
