‘A Critical Scenario’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Availability.
The ripple effects of a conflict being fought nearly a significant distance away are now being felt in India's homes.
As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, pushing restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely.
Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in restaurant kitchens.
"The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply is unavailable," says a representative of the National Restaurant Association of India.
Most restaurants run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have closed - some in northern India, many in the south. People are switching to solid fuels and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going."
Localized Effects
In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have depleted with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru.
Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are changing as supplies wax and wane. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario."
Retailers note a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are running out of them.
Government Stance
Yet, the officials insists there is sufficient stock.
India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and authorities say stocks are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets.
About 60% of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now largely blocked by the conflict.
The petroleum ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about 25%. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for critical services such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".
"Some panic booking and hoarding has been sparked by rumors. The normal delivery cycle for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson.
Growing Panic
Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of scooters outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the text reads.
According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be overstated.
India imports almost all of its oil. Around a significant portion of its crude oil imports - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Middle Eastern nations.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.
Based on maritime intelligence and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day.
"Around 25-30 million Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.
Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern
The primary concern is kitchen fuel, commentators observe.
India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint.
Refineries can modify output to extract a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only lift domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports.
In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks."
What may be intensifying the concern on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of panic buying.
An industry representative claims exploitative practices.
"Distributors are misusing the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. 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 kitchens across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
