‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: War on Iran Constricts India's LPG Availability.
The ripple effects of a military engagement being fought nearly a significant distance away are now reaching India's kitchens.
As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely.
Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian urban and rural areas as worries over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in food service establishments.
"Conditions are critical. LPG simply cannot be found," says a official of the a major restaurant body.
Most restaurants run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are turning to solid fuels and induction stoves to keep kitchens going."
Localized Effects
In a western metro, media reports say up to a 20% of hospitality businesses are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.
Restaurant owners are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are opening only for dinner and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are varying as supplies come and go. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a changing landscape."
Retailers report a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts.
Authority's View
Yet, the officials insists there is adequate supply.
India has more than 300 million home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say cylinders are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets.
About 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war.
The relevant department says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being allocated for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear".
"A degree of anxious stocking and hoarding has been sparked by rumors. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a senior official.
Growing Panic
Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the description reads.
According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be premature.
India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around 50% of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from regional suppliers.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a industry commentator.
Based on maritime intelligence and expert analysis, additional 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.
"Around 25-30 million Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.
LPG: The Real Vulnerability
The real vulnerability is LPG, experts note.
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 10-20% boost would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.
In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through diversification. Refined product supply remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks."
What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just tight supply but erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of stockpiling.
An industry representative states price gouging.
"Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off."
For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.