🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Constricts India's Kitchen Fuel Supplies. People queue up to buy cooking gas cylinders for domestic use in Chennai. The shockwaves of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's kitchens. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, supplies of cooking gas are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to reduce offerings, shorten hours and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a representative of the a major restaurant body. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Many restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, local news say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability dwindle. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no food items - it is nothing less than pathetic. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in Chennai which has ceased operations due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are running out of them. Government Stance Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and officials say cylinders are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage now effectively closed by the hostilities. The petroleum ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the crude it requires, leaving it significantly susceptible to interruptions in international markets. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be overstated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective gap 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only lift domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges exploitative practices. "Suppliers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and auctioned off." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by global trade flows. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.
People queue up to buy cooking gas cylinders for domestic use in Chennai. The shockwaves of a conflict being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's kitchens. As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, supplies of cooking gas are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to reduce offerings, shorten hours and in some cases cease operations entirely. Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments. "The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a representative of the a major restaurant body. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Many restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, local news say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as cylinder availability dwindle. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no food items - it is nothing less than pathetic. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in Chennai which has ceased operations due to a scarcity of LPG. Restaurant owners are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario." Retailers note a surge in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are running out of them. Government Stance Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply. India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and officials say cylinders are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities affect energy markets. Approximately a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage now effectively closed by the hostilities. The petroleum ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, raising domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and stockpiling has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to most of the crude it requires, leaving it significantly susceptible to interruptions in international markets. According to analysis from market experts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be overstated. India imports almost all of its oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a industry commentator. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective gap 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is cooking gas, analysts say. India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint. Refineries can tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost would only lift domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through varied suppliers. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges exploitative practices. "Suppliers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and auctioned off." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by global trade flows. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.