🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: Hostilities on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Supplies. People queue up to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in Chennai. The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's households. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, supplies of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most food outlets run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the southern region. People are turning to coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep their operations going." City-Specific Fallout In a financial hub, local news say up to a 20% of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their fuel reserves have depleted with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no food items - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has ceased operations due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are opening only for dinner and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are changing as supplies come and go. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a surge in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is no shortage. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and spokespersons say supplies are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. About six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, enhancing domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being allocated for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "A degree of anxious stocking and accumulation has been sparked by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about under three days," says a senior official. Growing Panic Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads. India sources up to a vast majority of the petroleum it requires, leaving it particularly vulnerable to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, 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 industry information, increased 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The primary concern is LPG, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase 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 varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative claims price gouging. "Suppliers 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 oil supplies may be protected by global trade flows. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
People queue up to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in Chennai. The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's households. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, supplies of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most food outlets run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the southern region. People are turning to coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep their operations going." City-Specific Fallout In a financial hub, local news say up to a 20% of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their fuel reserves have depleted with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no food items - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A eatery in a southern city which has ceased operations due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are opening only for dinner and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are changing as supplies come and go. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a surge in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is no shortage. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and spokespersons say supplies are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. About six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, enhancing domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being allocated for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "A degree of anxious stocking and accumulation has been sparked by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about under three days," says a senior official. Growing Panic Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads. India sources up to a vast majority of the petroleum it requires, leaving it particularly vulnerable to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be exaggerated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, 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 industry information, increased 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The primary concern is LPG, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase 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 varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative claims price gouging. "Suppliers 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 oil supplies may be protected by global trade flows. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.