🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Kitchen Fuel Stock. People queue up to buy cooking gas cylinders for home cooking in an urban center. The shockwaves of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now reaching India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern region. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In Mumbai, local news 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 Bangalore and Madras, some restaurants say their gas stocks have depleted with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a lack of cooking gas. Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service 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. Authority's View Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than a vast number of household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now largely blocked by the hostilities. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for vital industries such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about 60 hours," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the concern is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads. India brings in up to most of the oil it requires, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be premature. India imports the overwhelming majority of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and industry information, increased 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. "Around 25-30 million 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 ready fallback," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The real vulnerability is cooking gas, commentators observe. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint. Refineries can modify output to extract a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase 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 somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative states price gouging. "Retailers are taking advantage of 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 energy imports may be buffered by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next refill.
People queue up to buy cooking gas cylinders for home cooking in an urban center. The shockwaves of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now reaching India's households. As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern region. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In Mumbai, local news 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 Bangalore and Madras, some restaurants say their gas stocks have depleted with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a lack of cooking gas. Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service 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. Authority's View Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than a vast number of household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets. Approximately six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now largely blocked by the hostilities. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for vital industries such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about 60 hours," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the concern is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads. India brings in up to most of the oil it requires, leaving it highly exposed to disruptions in international markets. According to reports from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be premature. India imports the overwhelming majority of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and industry information, increased 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. "Around 25-30 million 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 ready fallback," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The real vulnerability is cooking gas, commentators observe. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint. Refineries can modify output to extract a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase 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 somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the common threat of hoarding. An industry representative states price gouging. "Retailers are taking advantage of 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 energy imports may be buffered by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next refill.