‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's LPG Supplies.
The repercussions of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now reaching India's kitchens.
As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether.
Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments.
"The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India.
Most restaurants run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the south. People are adopting traditional burners and induction stoves to keep kitchens going."
City-Specific Fallout
In Mumbai, accounts say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already completely or partially closed as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have shrunk with little backup. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.
Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are changing as supplies wax and wane. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a changing landscape."
Retailers observe a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly.
Authority's View
Yet, the government insists there is no shortage.
India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and officials say stocks are being redirected to households as geopolitical strain from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets.
Roughly 60% of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about 90% of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war.
The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "equitable and clear".
"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been caused by false reports. The standard supply timeline for home fuel remains about under three days," says a ministry representative.
Widening Concern
Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of scooters outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads.
According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be overstated.
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 waterway, largely from regional suppliers.
Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the deficit could be partly compensated for by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.
Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective deficit 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 key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.
Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern
The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, commentators observe.
India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait.
Refineries can tweak operations to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only increase domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports.
In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks."
What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding.
An industry representative claims exploitative practices.
"Retailers are misusing the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and sold at a premium."
For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by global trade flows. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.
