🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Availability. People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for household consumption in a major Indian city. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of kitchen fuel are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply is unavailable," says a official of the an industry group. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Localized Effects In a western metro, local news say up to a 20% of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with little backup. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has shut down due to a shortage of kitchen fuel. Restaurant operators are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," 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 fluid situation." Retailers note a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the officials maintains there is sufficient stock. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and officials say stocks are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been caused by false reports. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the anxiety is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a fuel station. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads. India sources up to a vast majority of the oil it uses, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its petroleum. Around half of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "Around 25-30 million Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - most of it through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only increase domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be intensifying the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for household consumption in a major Indian city. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of kitchen fuel are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply is unavailable," says a official of the an industry group. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Localized Effects In a western metro, local news say up to a 20% of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some establishments say their gas stocks have depleted with little backup. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has shut down due to a shortage of kitchen fuel. Restaurant operators are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," 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 fluid situation." Retailers note a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the officials maintains there is sufficient stock. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and officials say stocks are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been caused by false reports. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the anxiety is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a fuel station. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads. India sources up to a vast majority of the oil it uses, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its petroleum. Around half of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "Around 25-30 million Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - most of it through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only increase domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be intensifying the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.