🔗 Share this article ‘The Situation is Dire’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Kitchen Fuel Stock. People queue up to buy fuel canisters for home cooking in an urban center. The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly a significant distance away are now reaching India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some eateries say their gas stocks have depleted with little backup. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. 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 closures are varying as supplies come and go. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are running out of them. Authority's View Yet, the government states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and officials say cylinders are being redirected to households as tensions from the war in the Gulf affect energy markets. Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for essential sectors such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to 90% of the oil it uses, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in global supplies. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its petroleum shipments - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on vessel tracking and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The real vulnerability is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the Strait. Refineries can adjust processes to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through diversification. Processed petroleum stocks remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling. An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering. "Distributors are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be buffered by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.
People queue up to buy fuel canisters for home cooking in an urban center. The ripple effects of a war being fought nearly a significant distance away are now reaching India's homes. As US-Israeli strikes on Iran impede energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, stocks of kitchen fuel are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether. Social media is flooded by video clips showing lines outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the most affected: the biggest crunch is in commercial eateries. "The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India. Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being experienced across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electronic appliances to keep food preparation going." Regional Impact In a western metro, accounts say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some eateries say their gas stocks have depleted with little backup. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru. A food joint in a southern city which has closed its doors due to a scarcity of LPG. 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 closures are varying as supplies come and go. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape." Retailers note a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are running out of them. Authority's View Yet, the government states there is sufficient stock. India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and officials say cylinders are being redirected to households as tensions from the war in the Gulf affect energy markets. Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the conflict. The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Non-domestic supply is being reserved for essential sectors such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "equitable and clear". "Some panic booking and hoarding has been caused by misinformation. The normal delivery cycle for home fuel remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative. Widening Concern Now the worry is moving beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the description reads. India brings in up to 90% of the oil it uses, leaving it particularly vulnerable to interruptions in global supplies. According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated. India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around a significant portion of its petroleum shipments - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers. Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst. Based on vessel tracking and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective deficit 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 India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a available backup," an analyst noted. Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness The real vulnerability is LPG, analysts say. India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - 80–90% through the Strait. Refineries can adjust processes to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only lift domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports. In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through diversification. Processed petroleum stocks remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the real variable to watch in the coming weeks." What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the familiar spectre of stockpiling. An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering. "Distributors are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off." For now, India's petroleum stocks may be buffered by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next refill.