‘A Critical Scenario’: War on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Supplies.

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

As military actions on Iran hinder energy deliveries through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to shorten food lists, shorten hours and in some cases close completely.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing crowds outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as worries over fuel supplies grow. Businesses appear the most affected: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments.

"Conditions are critical. LPG simply isn't available," says a spokesperson of the a major restaurant body.

Most restaurants run either on industrial fuel canisters or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "Numerous restaurants have shut down - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are adopting traditional burners and electric cookers to keep food preparation going."

City-Specific Fallout

In a financial hub, local news say up to a fifth of hospitality businesses are already fully or partly shut as commercial LPG supplies dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some eateries say their fuel reserves have dwindled with little backup. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is truly dismal. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. "Menus are being curtailed, some are cutting lunch service and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that shutdowns are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a changing landscape."

Retailers report a surge in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are running out of them.

Authority's View

Yet, the authorities states there is no shortage.

India has more than a vast number of home fuel subscribers and spokespersons say stocks are being prioritized to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets.

Approximately 60% of India's LPG is brought in from overseas, and about 90% of those shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic bottleneck now significantly disrupted by the conflict.

The relevant department says that it ordered refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, enhancing domestic production by about 25%. Commercial stock is being prioritised for critical services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "just and open".

"A degree of anxious stocking and hoarding has been triggered by rumors. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about under three days," 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 two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.

According to data from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader petroleum stocks may be exaggerated.

India imports almost all of its crude oil. Around half of its crude oil imports - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the strait, largely from Gulf countries.

Even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the deficit could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.

Based on shipping data and industry information, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of 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 available backup," an analyst noted.

LPG: The Real Vulnerability

The primary concern is LPG, commentators observe.

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

Refineries can adjust processes to extract a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only lift domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports.

In short: "Crude supply risk can be partially mitigated through diversification. Refined product supply remains relatively comfortable. Cooking gas supply is the critical issue to watch in the coming weeks."

What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just scarcity but erratic supply chains - and the usual problem of stockpiling.

An industry representative states price gouging.

"Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off."

For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by global trade flows. But in homes across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next refill.