‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Kitchen Fuel Supplies.
The repercussions of a conflict being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now impacting India's homes.
As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are dwindling across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases close completely.
Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries.
"Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the a major restaurant body.
Most restaurants run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the shortages are now being felt across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in northern India, many in the southern region. People are adopting traditional burners and induction stoves to keep food preparation going."
Regional Impact
In Mumbai, local news say up to a fifth of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their gas stocks have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru.
Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation."
Retailers note a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly.
Authority's View
Yet, the authorities insists there is no shortage.
India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and authorities say supplies are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the Middle East conflict affect energy markets.
About six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the conflict.
The petroleum ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, enhancing domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being reserved for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "equitable and clear".
"Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by false reports. The standard supply timeline for home fuel remains about under three days," says a government spokesperson.
Spreading Anxiety
Now the anxiety is extending beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.
According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be premature.
India imports almost all of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Middle Eastern nations.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a industry commentator.
Based on shipping data and credible market sources, additional 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.
"A large quantity 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 available backup," an analyst noted.
Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness
The key weakness is kitchen fuel, commentators observe.
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 adjust processes to produce 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: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Processed petroleum stocks remains fairly adequate. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks."
What may be worsening the concern on the ground is not just scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of stockpiling.
An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering.
"Distributors are misusing the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off."
For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
