🔗 Share this article ‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: Hostilities on Iran Tightens India's LPG Supplies. People line up to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in Chennai. The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly a significant distance away are now being felt in India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside LPG distributors across Indian urban and rural areas as anxieties over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most eateries run either on industrial fuel canisters or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in northern India, many in the southern region. People are adopting coal and wood and electric cookers to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In Mumbai, local news say up to a significant portion of eateries are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some establishments say their cylinder inventory have depleted with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no food items - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Official Position Yet, the authorities insists there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being prioritised for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "A degree of anxious stocking and stockpiling has been sparked by false reports. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Growing Panic Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of motorbikes outside a fuel station. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India sources up to most of the petroleum it requires, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Gulf countries. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, incremental 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 on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Processed petroleum stocks remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of panic buying. An industry representative alleges opportunistic profiteering. "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 stockpiled and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.
People line up to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in Chennai. The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly a significant distance away are now being felt in India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside LPG distributors across Indian urban and rural areas as anxieties over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the an industry group. Most eateries run either on industrial fuel canisters or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in northern India, many in the southern region. People are adopting coal and wood and electric cookers to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In Mumbai, local news say up to a significant portion of eateries are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some establishments say their cylinder inventory have depleted with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no food items - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a shortage of LPG. Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Official Position Yet, the authorities insists there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being prioritised for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "A degree of anxious stocking and stockpiling has been sparked by false reports. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Growing Panic Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of motorbikes outside a fuel station. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India sources up to most of the petroleum it requires, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Gulf countries. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, incremental 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 on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Processed petroleum stocks remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of panic buying. An industry representative alleges opportunistic profiteering. "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 stockpiled and sold to the highest bidder." For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.