‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Constricts India's LPG Supplies.

The shockwaves of a military engagement being fought nearly a significant distance away are now being felt in India's kitchens.

As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are dwindling across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether.

Social media is filled with video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian urban and rural areas as anxieties over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in commercial eateries.

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

Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the shortages are now being experienced across the country. "Many restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are switching to solid fuels and electric cookers to keep food preparation going."

Regional Impact

In a western metro, media reports say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already completely or partially closed as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have depleted with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," 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 dynamic scenario."

Retailers note a surge in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts.

Authority's View

Yet, the officials states there is no shortage.

India has more than 300 million household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being redirected to households as geopolitical strain from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets.

Roughly 60% of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the conflict.

The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being prioritised for essential sectors such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "equitable and clear".

"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative.

Growing Panic

Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the text reads.

According to reports from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be overstated.

India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries.

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

Based on shipping data and expert analysis, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of 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 available backup," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The key weakness is kitchen fuel, analysts say.

India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - most of it through the Strait.

Refineries can adjust processes 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 largely dependent on imports.

In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through diversification. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be intensifying the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the usual problem of panic buying.

An industry representative claims exploitative practices.

"Distributors are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold to the highest bidder."

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 refill.