🔗 Share this article ‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: War on Iran Constricts India's Cooking-Gas Stock. People wait in lines to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in an urban center. The ripple effects of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are dwindling across India, pushing restaurants to reduce offerings, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "A lot of restaurants have ceased operations - some in northern India, many in the south. People are turning to solid fuels and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a financial hub, media reports say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Authority's View Yet, the officials maintains there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and officials say supplies are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, enhancing domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Widening Concern Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the petroleum it uses, leaving it highly exposed to problems in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be overstated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on shipping data and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day. "Tens of millions 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 available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is cooking gas, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through diversification. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative states exploitative practices. "Retailers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold at a premium." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
People wait in lines to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in an urban center. The ripple effects of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are dwindling across India, pushing restaurants to reduce offerings, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "A lot of restaurants have ceased operations - some in northern India, many in the south. People are turning to solid fuels and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a financial hub, media reports say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Authority's View Yet, the officials maintains there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and officials say supplies are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, enhancing domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Widening Concern Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the petroleum it uses, leaving it highly exposed to problems in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be overstated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on shipping data and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day. "Tens of millions 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 available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is cooking gas, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through diversification. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative states exploitative practices. "Retailers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold at a premium." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.