🔗 Share this article ‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Kitchen Fuel Availability. People queue up to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in an urban center. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now impacting India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, supplies of cooking gas are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most restaurants run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Many restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a financial hub, accounts say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have shrunk with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of LPG. Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Food options are being cut, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is adequate supply. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and authorities say supplies are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Roughly 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the hostilities. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about 25%. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for vital industries such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been triggered by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the crude it consumes, leaving it highly exposed to problems in international markets. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around half of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, narrowing India's effective deficit from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is LPG, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - most of it through Hormuz. Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be intensifying the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling. An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering. "Suppliers are taking advantage of the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off." For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
People queue up to buy LPG tanks for domestic use in an urban center. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now impacting India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, supplies of cooking gas are tightening across India, pushing restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The situation is dire. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most restaurants run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Many restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a financial hub, accounts say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have shrunk with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of LPG. Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Food options are being cut, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is adequate supply. India has more than a vast number of domestic LPG users and authorities say supplies are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Roughly 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the hostilities. The relevant department says that it directed refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about 25%. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for vital industries such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been triggered by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the crude it consumes, leaving it highly exposed to problems in international markets. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature. India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around half of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, narrowing India's effective deficit from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day. "A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is LPG, experts note. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - most of it through Hormuz. Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be intensifying the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling. An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering. "Suppliers are taking advantage of the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off." For now, India's energy imports may be buffered by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.