🔗 Share this article ‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Supplies. People line up to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in Chennai. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's homes. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to reduce offerings, shorten hours and in some cases close completely. Social media is awash with video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. LPG simply isn't available," says a official of the a major restaurant body. Most food outlets run either on industrial fuel canisters or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the south. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have shrunk with little backup. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in Chennai which has ceased operations due to a lack of kitchen fuel. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers note a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government insists there is sufficient stock. India has more than 30 crore household consumers and spokespersons say stocks are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, enhancing domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been sparked by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the anxiety is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a gas outlet. "Anxiety is palpable," the text reads. India imports up to a vast majority of the crude it requires, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the deficit could be partly made up by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is kitchen fuel, commentators observe. India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint. Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only increase domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Kitchen fuel stocks 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 erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold at a premium." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
People line up to buy fuel canisters for domestic use in Chennai. The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's homes. As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to reduce offerings, shorten hours and in some cases close completely. Social media is awash with video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. LPG simply isn't available," says a official of the a major restaurant body. Most food outlets run either on industrial fuel canisters or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the south. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going." City-Specific Fallout In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have shrunk with little backup. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A restaurant in Chennai which has ceased operations due to a lack of kitchen fuel. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers note a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government insists there is sufficient stock. India has more than 30 crore household consumers and spokespersons say stocks are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, enhancing domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been sparked by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the anxiety is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a gas outlet. "Anxiety is palpable," the text reads. India imports up to a vast majority of the crude it requires, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the deficit could be partly made up by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The primary concern is kitchen fuel, commentators observe. India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint. Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only increase domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Kitchen fuel stocks 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 erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Retailers are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold at a premium." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.