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

The ripple effects of a military engagement being fought nearly 3,000km away are now impacting India's kitchens.

As aerial attacks on Iran disrupt energy deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz, availability of kitchen fuel are shrinking across India, forcing restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely.

Social media is awash with video clips showing crowds outside LPG distributors across Indian metros and localities as anxieties over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the most affected: the most severe shortage is in commercial eateries.

"The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply cannot be found," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.

Most eateries run either on commercial LPG cylinders or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being noticed across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the south. People are switching to traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going."

Localized Effects

In a western metro, accounts say up to a fifth of hotels and restaurants are already completely or partially closed as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their gas stocks have dwindled with little backup. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Food options are being cut, some are opening only for dinner and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that stoppages are changing as supplies wax and wane. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a fluid situation."

Retailers report a spike in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts.

Government Stance

Yet, the officials maintains there is sufficient stock.

India has more than a vast number of household consumers and authorities say stocks are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the regional hostilities affect energy markets.

Approximately 60% of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf chokepoint now largely blocked by the war.

The oil ministry says that it ordered refineries to boost LPG output for household consumption, raising domestic production by about a quarter. Non-domestic supply is being prioritised for critical services such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"Some panic booking and hoarding has been sparked by false reports. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about two-and-a-half days," says a ministry representative.

Spreading Anxiety

Now the anxiety is moving beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of scooters outside a gas outlet. "Concern is genuine," the caption reads.

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

India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil. Around a significant portion of its crude oil imports - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Gulf countries.

Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the gap could be partly compensated for by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a industry commentator.

Based on vessel tracking and industry information, 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 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 key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a viable alternative," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The real vulnerability is kitchen fuel, experts note.

India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only a minority share domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait.

Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports.

In short: "Crude supply risk can be moderately reduced through diversification. Processed petroleum stocks remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the real variable to track in the coming weeks."

What may be intensifying the anxiety on the ground is not just tight supply but patchy deliveries - and the common threat of hoarding.

An industry representative claims opportunistic profiteering.

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

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