‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's Cooking-Gas Availability.
The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's kitchens.
As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, supplies of cooking gas are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, reduce operating times and in some cases close completely.
Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the worst hit: the most severe shortage is in food service establishments.
"Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the a major restaurant body.
Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern region. People are turning to solid fuels and electric cookers to keep food preparation going."
Localized Effects
In Mumbai, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their fuel reserves have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru.
Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation."
Retailers report a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are running out of them.
Authority's View
Yet, the government insists there is adequate supply.
India has more than 300 million domestic LPG users and authorities say stocks are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the regional hostilities ripple through 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 key maritime route, the vital passage now significantly disrupted by the war.
The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for household consumption, enhancing 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 "just and open".
"A degree of anxious stocking and accumulation has been caused by false reports. The regular refill period for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a ministry representative.
Growing Panic
Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.
According to data from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.
India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries.
Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a industry commentator.
Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, increased Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day.
"Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships 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 key weakness is cooking gas, commentators observe.
India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through Hormuz.
Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only increase domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.
In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks."
What may be heightening the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of stockpiling.
An industry representative alleges exploitative practices.
"Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold to the highest bidder."
For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by global trade flows. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
