🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: Conflict on Iran Constricts India's Kitchen Fuel Availability. People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in a major Indian city. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing lines outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The situation is dire. LPG simply cannot be found," says a representative of the an industry group. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are turning to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going." Localized Effects In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no food items - it is truly dismal. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of cooking gas. Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are changing as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers report a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the officials states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say stocks are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about the vast majority of those shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the hostilities. The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being allocated for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by false reports. The standard supply timeline for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "Anxiety is palpable," the caption reads. India brings in up to 90% of the crude it requires, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in international markets. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the deficit could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, narrowing India's effective shortfall 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. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The primary concern is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative states opportunistic profiteering. "Suppliers are exploiting the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. 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 international market dynamics. But in homes across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next refill.
People wait in lines to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in a major Indian city. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is awash with video clips showing lines outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The situation is dire. LPG simply cannot be found," says a representative of the an industry group. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are turning to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going." Localized Effects In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no food items - it is truly dismal. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of cooking gas. Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are changing as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers report a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the officials states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say stocks are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about the vast majority of those shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the hostilities. The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being allocated for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by false reports. The standard supply timeline for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "Anxiety is palpable," the caption reads. India brings in up to 90% of the crude it requires, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in international markets. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the deficit could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, narrowing India's effective shortfall 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. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The primary concern is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative states opportunistic profiteering. "Suppliers are exploiting the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. 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 international market dynamics. But in homes across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next refill.