🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: Hostilities on Iran Tightens India's Cooking-Gas Availability. People wait in lines to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in Chennai. The repercussions of a conflict being fought nearly a significant distance away are now impacting India's homes. As military actions on Iran hinder energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of eateries are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have depleted with little backup. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a shortage of kitchen fuel. Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are changing as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers observe a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the officials insists there is no shortage. India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and spokespersons say supplies are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now largely blocked by the conflict. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being allocated for vital industries such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been sparked by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the caption reads. India sources up to 90% of the oil it requires, leaving it highly exposed to interruptions in international markets. According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its oil. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, increased 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 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% 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 under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. 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 scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges price gouging. "Suppliers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market 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.
People wait in lines to buy fuel canisters for household consumption in Chennai. The repercussions of a conflict being fought nearly a significant distance away are now impacting India's homes. As military actions on Iran hinder energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a official of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of eateries are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have depleted with little backup. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and nothing else - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a shortage of kitchen fuel. Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are changing as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape." Retailers observe a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the officials insists there is no shortage. India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and spokespersons say supplies are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the war in the Gulf impact energy markets. About a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now largely blocked by the conflict. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a significant margin. Commercial stock is being allocated for vital industries such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "fair and transparent". "Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been sparked by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a senior official. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is extending beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the caption reads. India sources up to 90% of the oil it requires, leaving it highly exposed to interruptions in international markets. According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its oil. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert. Based on shipping data and expert analysis, increased 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 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted. Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% 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 under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. 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 scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of stockpiling. An industry representative alleges price gouging. "Suppliers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market 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.