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

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

As aerial attacks on Iran impede energy transports through the vital shipping lane, stocks of cooking gas are dwindling across India, compelling restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases shut down altogether.

Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian cities and towns as concerns over fuel supplies escalate. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in commercial eateries.

"The situation is dire. Kitchen fuel simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.

Most food outlets run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the shortages are now being noticed across the country. "Many restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are turning to coal and wood and induction stoves to keep food preparation going."

Localized Effects

In a western metro, local news say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already completely or partially closed as business fuel stocks dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some restaurants say their gas stocks have shrunk with minimal reserves. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no food items - it is truly dismal. Businesses are going to suffer," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are rushing to adjust. "Food options are being cut, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are changing as supplies come and go. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - a couple are back in business. It's a dynamic scenario."

Retailers observe a surge in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are facing stockouts.

Authority's View

Yet, the government maintains there is adequate supply.

India has more than 300 million household consumers and officials say supplies are being reallocated to households as conflict-related stress from the war in the Gulf ripple through energy markets.

Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about 90% of those imports pass through the key maritime route, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the hostilities.

The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for domestic use, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "equitable and clear".

"Some panic booking and stockpiling has been caused by misinformation. The standard supply timeline for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a senior official.

Spreading Anxiety

Now the concern is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of motorbikes outside a petrol pump. "The panic is real," the caption reads.

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

India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from regional suppliers.

Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, 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 credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, narrowing 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 on the water in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.

Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern

The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, analysts say.

India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait.

Refineries can adjust processes to squeeze out a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% 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 key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be worsening the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of panic buying.

An industry representative alleges opportunistic profiteering.

"Retailers are exploiting the situation - selling fuel on the black market and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off."

For now, India's energy imports may be protected by worldwide shipping. But in restaurants across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next cylinder.