‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: Conflict on Iran Constricts India's LPG Stock.
The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now impacting India's kitchens.
As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz, availability of cooking gas are dwindling across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether.
Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in restaurant kitchens.
"Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.
Most restaurants run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are switching to coal and wood and induction stoves to keep kitchens going."
City-Specific Fallout
In a western metro, media reports say up to a significant portion of eateries are already completely or partially closed as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some establishments say their cylinder inventory have shrunk with little backup. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Businesses are going to suffer," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.
Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario."
Retailers note a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts.
Official Position
Yet, the authorities maintains there is adequate supply.
India has more than 300 million home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say supplies are being redirected to households as tensions from the regional hostilities affect energy markets.
About six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now largely blocked by the war.
The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being prioritised for vital industries such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".
"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been caused by false reports. The regular refill period for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a senior official.
Spreading Anxiety
Now the anxiety is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the text reads.
According to reports from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.
India imports almost all of its oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert.
Based on vessel tracking 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 1.6 million barrels a day.
"A large quantity of 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 the Strait.
Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only raise domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.
In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."
What may be heightening the concern on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling.
An industry representative states exploitative practices.
"Retailers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off."
For now, India's oil supplies may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
