‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Tightens India's Cooking-Gas Stock.

The ripple effects of a conflict being fought nearly a significant distance away are now being felt in India's kitchens.

As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy transports through the key maritime chokepoint, supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are tightening across India, forcing restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases cease operations entirely.

Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as anxieties over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments.

"The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India.

Most eateries run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the lack of supply are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are switching to coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going."

Regional Impact

In a western metro, local news say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant owners are rushing to adjust. "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 come and go. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a changing landscape."

Retailers note a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly.

Official Position

Yet, the government maintains there is no shortage.

India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and officials say stocks are being redirected to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets.

About a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now significantly disrupted by the conflict.

The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, enhancing domestic production by about 25%. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been sparked by false reports. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about 60 hours," says a senior official.

Widening Concern

Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of motorbikes outside a fuel station. "Concern is genuine," the description reads.

According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.

India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around half of its crude oil imports - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations.

Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly offset by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a sector expert.

Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, additional 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.

"Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The key weakness is kitchen fuel, analysts say.

India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the Strait.

Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports.

In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through diversification. Processed petroleum stocks remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of hoarding.

An industry representative claims exploitative practices.

"Distributors are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold at a premium."

For now, India's petroleum stocks may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.