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

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

As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are shrinking across India, pushing restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside LPG distributors across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries.

"The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply isn't available," says a representative of the National Restaurant Association of India.

Most food outlets run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "Many restaurants have ceased operations - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are switching to coal and wood and electric cookers to keep their operations going."

Regional Impact

In a financial hub, accounts say up to a 20% of hotels and restaurants are already completely or partially closed as business fuel stocks dwindle. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have depleted with scarce alternatives. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no food items - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are fluctuating as supplies ebb and flow. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape."

Retailers report a spike in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are running out of them.

Official Position

Yet, the authorities insists there is adequate supply.

India has more than 30 crore domestic LPG users and officials say cylinders are being redirected to households as tensions from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets.

Roughly a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the conflict.

The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, enhancing 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 "equitable and clear".

"A degree of anxious stocking and hoarding has been caused by rumors. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a government spokesperson.

Growing Panic

Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a fuel station. "The panic is real," the description reads.

According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated.

India imports almost all of its oil. Around half of its crude oil imports - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from regional suppliers.

Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.

Based on maritime intelligence and expert analysis, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million barrels a day.

"A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted.

Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness

The primary concern is LPG, 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 tweak operations to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports.

In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains fairly adequate. LPG availability is the key factor to watch in the coming weeks."

What may be intensifying the panic on the ground is not just limited availability but patchy deliveries - and the common threat of panic buying.

An industry representative alleges opportunistic profiteering.

"Suppliers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off."

For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by international market dynamics. But in kitchens across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.