‘The Situation is Dire’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Availability.

The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now being felt in India's households.

As aerial attacks on Iran hinder energy shipments through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are shrinking across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian urban and rural areas as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Commercial LPG users appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments.

"Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a representative of the a major restaurant body.

Most restaurants run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in Delhi, many in the southern region. People are adopting traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going."

City-Specific Fallout

In a western metro, accounts say up to a significant portion of eateries are already fully or partly shut as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some establishments say their fuel reserves have depleted with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Operations will be impacted," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are varying as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario."

Retailers observe a surge in sales of induction stoves, 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 spokespersons say supplies are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets.

Roughly a majority of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now effectively closed by the war.

The petroleum ministry says that it instructed refineries to boost LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being allocated for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"Some panic booking and accumulation has been sparked by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about 60 hours," says a ministry representative.

Growing Panic

Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the caption reads.

According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be premature.

India imports 90% of its oil. Around half of its petroleum shipments - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Middle Eastern nations.

Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the gap could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.

Based on shipping data and industry information, incremental 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.

"A large quantity 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 viable alternative," an analyst noted.

Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness

The primary concern is kitchen fuel, analysts say.

India consumes roughly a million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the chokepoint.

Refineries can modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only raise domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.

In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through alternative sourcing. Fuel availability remains largely sufficient. LPG availability is the real variable to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be intensifying the concern on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling.

An industry representative alleges exploitative practices.

"Suppliers are misusing the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and sold at a premium."

For now, India's petroleum stocks may be cushioned by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next cylinder.