‘The Situation is Dire’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Supplies.

The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now impacting India's kitchens.

As military actions on Iran disrupt energy transports through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of cooking gas are dwindling across India, forcing restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases close completely.

Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in restaurant kitchens.

"Conditions are critical. Kitchen fuel simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.

Most food outlets run either on industrial fuel canisters or piped gas, and the shortages are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are turning to solid fuels and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going."

Regional Impact

In Mumbai, local news say up to a fifth of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some establishments say their fuel reserves have dwindled with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is truly dismal. Commerce will take a hit," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a fluid situation."

Retailers observe a increase in sales of electric cookers, with some saying they are selling out quickly.

Official Position

Yet, the government states there is sufficient stock.

India has more than 30 crore household consumers and spokespersons say stocks are being redirected to households as tensions from the Middle East conflict impact energy markets.

Roughly 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about 90% of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now significantly disrupted by the war.

The petroleum ministry says that it directed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Business-grade fuel is being prioritised for vital industries such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open".

"Some panic booking and hoarding has been triggered by rumors. The normal delivery cycle for domestic LPG remains about 60 hours," says a government spokesperson.

Spreading Anxiety

Now the concern is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of scooters outside a fuel station. "Concern is genuine," the description reads.

According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.

India imports 90% of its crude oil. Around half of its oil purchases - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Gulf countries.

Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly compensated for by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.

Based on shipping data and credible market sources, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, narrowing 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 on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.

Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness

The primary concern is LPG, experts note.

India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - most of it through Hormuz.

Refineries can modify output to extract 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 moderately reduced through diversification. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. LPG availability is the real variable to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be heightening the panic on the ground is not just scarcity but uneven distribution - and the familiar spectre of hoarding.

An industry representative alleges price gouging.

"Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - black-marketing cylinders and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated 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 immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.