🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: Hostilities on Iran Squeezes India's Kitchen Fuel Availability. People line up to buy LPG tanks for household consumption in Chennai. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside fuel suppliers across Indian urban and rural areas as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the a major restaurant body. 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 ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In Mumbai, accounts say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their gas stocks have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A restaurant in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of LPG. Restaurant operators are rushing to adjust. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies ebb and flow. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers note a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Official Position Yet, the government insists there is no shortage. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say supplies are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets. Approximately 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now effectively closed by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Growing Panic Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of motorbikes outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads. India imports up to 90% of the crude it consumes, leaving it significantly susceptible to interruptions in global supplies. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be overstated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around 50% of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a industry commentator. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, commentators observe. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the critical issue to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges price gouging. "Distributors are misusing 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 energy imports 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 LPG tanks for household consumption in Chennai. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases close completely. Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside fuel suppliers across Indian urban and rural areas as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments. "Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the a major restaurant body. 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 ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In Mumbai, accounts say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their gas stocks have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A restaurant in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of LPG. Restaurant operators are rushing to adjust. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies ebb and flow. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers note a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are facing stockouts. Official Position Yet, the government insists there is no shortage. India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say supplies are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets. Approximately 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now effectively closed by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a government spokesperson. Growing Panic Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of motorbikes outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads. India imports up to 90% of the crude it consumes, leaving it significantly susceptible to interruptions in global supplies. According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be overstated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around 50% of its oil purchases - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a industry commentator. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day. "Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, commentators observe. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait. Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the critical issue to monitor in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges price gouging. "Distributors are misusing 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 energy imports may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.