🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Supplies. People line up to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in a major Indian city. The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's households. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the key maritime chokepoint, supplies of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a representative 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 felt across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are turning to solid fuels and induction stoves to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a financial hub, local news say up to a fifth of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no food items - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a scarcity of cooking gas. Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are changing as supplies wax and wane. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape." Retailers observe a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the authorities insists there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and authorities say stocks are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Business-grade fuel is being allocated for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about 60 hours," says a government spokesperson. Widening Concern Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads. India brings in up to a vast majority of the petroleum it consumes, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Gulf countries. Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall 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, narrowing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is kitchen fuel, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through Hormuz. Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of hoarding. An industry representative states exploitative practices. "Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. 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 worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
People line up to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in a major Indian city. The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's households. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the key maritime chokepoint, supplies of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a representative 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 felt across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are turning to solid fuels and induction stoves to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a financial hub, local news say up to a fifth of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no food items - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a scarcity of cooking gas. Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are changing as supplies wax and wane. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape." Retailers observe a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the authorities insists there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and authorities say stocks are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Business-grade fuel is being allocated for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about 60 hours," says a government spokesperson. Widening Concern Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads. India brings in up to a vast majority of the petroleum it consumes, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Gulf countries. Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall 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, narrowing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is kitchen fuel, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through Hormuz. Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of hoarding. An industry representative states exploitative practices. "Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. 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 worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.