‘The Situation is Dire’: Hostilities on Iran Tightens India's LPG Stock.

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

As US-Israeli strikes on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the vital shipping lane, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are tightening across India, forcing restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases shut down altogether.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian urban and rural areas as concerns over fuel supplies spread. Businesses appear the hardest struck: the most severe shortage is in commercial eateries.

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

Most food outlets run either on commercial LPG cylinders or piped gas, and the lack of supply are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have closed - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going."

Regional Impact

In Mumbai, accounts say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with little backup. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Businesses are going to suffer," says a business operator in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Food options are being cut, some are skipping midday meals and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies come and go. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a fluid situation."

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

Official Position

Yet, the government states there is no shortage.

India has more than 30 crore home fuel subscribers and authorities say supplies are being redirected to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf affect energy markets.

Roughly 60% of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the conflict.

The relevant department says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for home needs, raising domestic production by about a significant margin. Business-grade fuel is being prioritised for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "just and open".

"A degree of anxious stocking and hoarding has been sparked by false reports. The normal delivery cycle for household cylinders remains about under three days," says a ministry representative.

Spreading Anxiety

Now the anxiety is moving beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of motorbikes outside a gas outlet. "The panic is real," the description reads.

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

India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around 50% of its oil purchases - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations.

Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly offset by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a sector expert.

Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, additional 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 1.6 million barrels a day.

"Tens of millions of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.

Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern

The key weakness is cooking gas, experts note.

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

Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about around half of demand, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports.

In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through diversification. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. LPG availability is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be heightening the panic on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the common threat of panic buying.

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 hoarded and sold at a premium."

For now, India's oil supplies may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next cylinder.