🔗 Share this article ‘A Critical Scenario’: Hostilities on Iran Constricts India's Cooking-Gas Stock. People line up to buy fuel canisters for home cooking in a major Indian city. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a representative of the an industry group. Most restaurants run either on industrial fuel canisters or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the south. People are adopting traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their fuel reserves have shrunk with little backup. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a lack of kitchen fuel. Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies ebb and flow. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers report a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is no shortage. India has more than 300 million household consumers and authorities say supplies are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Roughly a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about under three days," says a government spokesperson. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India sources up to most of the petroleum it uses, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be premature. India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Gulf countries. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority 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 heavily reliant on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be partially mitigated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Distributors are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold at a premium." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
People line up to buy fuel canisters for home cooking in a major Indian city. The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, reduce operating times and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens. "The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply isn't available," says a representative of the an industry group. Most restaurants run either on industrial fuel canisters or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the south. People are adopting traditional burners and electric cookers to keep their operations going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their fuel reserves have shrunk with little backup. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has shut down due to a lack of kitchen fuel. Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies ebb and flow. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation." Retailers report a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are selling out quickly. Government Stance Yet, the government states there is no shortage. India has more than 300 million household consumers and authorities say supplies are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities impact energy markets. Roughly a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the war. The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being reserved for critical services such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for home fuel remains about under three days," says a government spokesperson. Spreading Anxiety Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a fuel station. "The panic is real," the caption reads. India sources up to most of the petroleum it uses, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in international markets. According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be premature. India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around a significant portion of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Gulf countries. Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening 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 in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The key weakness is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority 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 heavily reliant on imports. In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be partially mitigated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to track in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding. An industry representative claims exploitative practices. "Distributors are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold at a premium." For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.