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

The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's kitchens.

As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy transports through the vital shipping lane, availability of cooking gas are dwindling across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely.

Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in restaurant kitchens.

"Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a representative of the a major restaurant body.

Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have shut down - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are adopting solid fuels and induction stoves to keep their operations going."

Regional Impact

In Mumbai, media reports say up to a 20% of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some establishments say their fuel reserves have depleted with little backup. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation."

Retailers note a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly.

Authority's View

Yet, the officials insists there is adequate supply.

India has more than 300 million home fuel subscribers and authorities say cylinders are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the regional hostilities impact energy markets.

Roughly 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage now effectively closed by the hostilities.

The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been sparked by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a senior official.

Growing Panic

Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.

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

India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around 50% of its oil purchases - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from regional suppliers.

Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the deficit could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert.

Based on shipping data and industry information, additional Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day.

"Around 25-30 million Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The primary concern is LPG, experts note.

India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint.

Refineries can adjust processes to squeeze out 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: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through alternative sourcing. Processed petroleum stocks remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the real variable to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be intensifying the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the common threat of hoarding.

An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering.

"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 hoarded and auctioned off."

For now, India's oil supplies may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next gas canister.