🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's Kitchen Fuel Stock. People queue up to buy LPG tanks for home cooking in a major Indian city. The ripple effects of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy transports through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of cooking gas are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a representative of the a major restaurant body. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the south. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already completely or partially closed as cylinder availability dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their gas stocks have dwindled with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A eatery in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of cooking gas. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a fluid situation." Retailers observe a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than 300 million household consumers and spokespersons say supplies are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Business-grade fuel is being prioritised for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been caused by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Spreading Anxiety Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India imports up to 90% of the petroleum it uses, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in global supplies. According to data from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be overstated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its petroleum shipments - 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 hindered, the gap could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and industry information, additional 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. "Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is cooking gas, commentators observe. India consumes roughly one 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 limited rise would only increase 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 diversification. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative states price gouging. "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 to the highest bidder." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.
People queue up to buy LPG tanks for home cooking in a major Indian city. The ripple effects of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's kitchens. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy transports through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of cooking gas are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a representative of the a major restaurant body. Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the south. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already completely or partially closed as cylinder availability dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their gas stocks have dwindled with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A eatery in Chennai which has shut down due to a lack of cooking gas. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a fluid situation." Retailers observe a spike in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than 300 million household consumers and spokespersons say supplies are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the war. The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Business-grade fuel is being prioritised for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and accumulation has been caused by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Spreading Anxiety Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India imports up to 90% of the petroleum it uses, leaving it significantly susceptible to disruptions in global supplies. According to data from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be overstated. India imports the overwhelming majority of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its petroleum shipments - 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 hindered, the gap could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on maritime intelligence and industry information, additional 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. "Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. LPG: The Real Vulnerability The key weakness is cooking gas, commentators observe. India consumes roughly one 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 limited rise would only increase 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 diversification. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks." What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative states price gouging. "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 to the highest bidder." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.