🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: Conflict on Iran Tightens India's LPG Stock. People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in an urban center. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's homes. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, forcing restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most food outlets run either on commercial LPG cylinders or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the south. People are switching to coal and wood and induction stoves to keep food preparation going." Localized Effects In Mumbai, local news say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their gas stocks have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies wax and wane. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers observe a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are running out of them. Government Stance Yet, the officials states there is no shortage. India has more than 300 million household consumers and officials say supplies are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. Approximately six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The petroleum ministry says that it instructed refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Non-domestic supply is being allocated for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been triggered by misinformation. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the text reads. India imports up to most of the petroleum it consumes, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the deficit could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on vessel tracking and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - most of it through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to extract a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only raise domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to track in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just limited availability but patchy deliveries - and the usual problem of panic buying. An industry representative alleges exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.
People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in an urban center. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's homes. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, forcing restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most food outlets run either on commercial LPG cylinders or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the south. People are switching to coal and wood and induction stoves to keep food preparation going." Localized Effects In Mumbai, local news say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their gas stocks have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies wax and wane. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers observe a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are running out of them. Government Stance Yet, the officials states there is no shortage. India has more than 300 million household consumers and officials say supplies are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. Approximately six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The petroleum ministry says that it instructed refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Non-domestic supply is being allocated for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been triggered by misinformation. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the text reads. India imports up to most of the petroleum it consumes, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in worldwide shipments. According to analysis from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the deficit could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on vessel tracking and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - most of it through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to extract a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only raise domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to track in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just limited availability but patchy deliveries - and the usual problem of panic buying. An industry representative alleges exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.