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

The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now being felt in India's households.

As military actions on Iran disrupt energy transports through the vital shipping lane, availability of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases cease operations entirely.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside fuel suppliers across Indian metros and localities as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in restaurant kitchens.

"Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply cannot be found," says a representative of the a major restaurant body.

Most food outlets run either on commercial LPG cylinders or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the lack of supply are now being felt across the country. "Many restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern region. People are switching to coal and wood and induction stoves to keep their operations going."

Localized Effects

In Mumbai, media reports say up to a 20% of eateries are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their fuel reserves have depleted with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Commerce will take a hit," says a business operator in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are changing as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape."

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

Authority's View

Yet, the officials maintains there is no shortage.

India has more than 300 million domestic LPG users and officials say supplies are being prioritized to households as tensions from the regional hostilities ripple through energy markets.

Approximately 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those imports pass through the critical waterway, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now effectively closed by the hostilities.

The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to increase LPG output for domestic use, enhancing domestic production by about a significant margin. Business-grade fuel is being reserved for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"A degree of anxious stocking and hoarding has been sparked by misinformation. The regular refill period for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a senior official.

Widening Concern

Now the concern is extending 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 data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be exaggerated.

India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around 50% of its oil purchases - 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 hindered, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a sector expert.

Based on shipping data and credible market sources, 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 a substantial volume of barrels a day.

"Around 25-30 million 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 available backup," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The primary concern is cooking gas, analysts say.

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 modify output to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a 10-20% boost 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 somewhat alleviated through diversification. Fuel availability remains relatively comfortable. Kitchen fuel stocks is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks."

What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but erratic supply chains - and the familiar spectre of hoarding.

An industry representative alleges exploitative practices.

"Suppliers 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 energy imports may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in kitchens across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next cylinder.