‘An Alarming State of Affairs’: Conflict on Iran Squeezes India's Cooking-Gas Stock.

The shockwaves of a war being fought nearly 3,000km away are now reaching India's homes.

As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz, availability of cooking gas are shrinking across India, pushing restaurants to cut menus, shorten hours and in some cases close completely.

Social media is filled with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian cities and towns as anxieties over fuel supplies escalate. Businesses appear the hardest struck: the most severe shortage is in food service establishments.

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

Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or piped gas, and the shortages are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have closed - some in Delhi, many in the southern states. People are turning to solid fuels and electric cookers to keep kitchens going."

Localized Effects

In a western metro, accounts say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already completely or partially closed as cylinder availability dry up. In the southern cities of Bangalore and Madras, some eateries say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with minimal reserves. "We can only make coffee and no other dishes - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.

Restaurant operators are seeking alternatives. "Food options are being cut, some are opening only for dinner and reducing hours," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a dynamic scenario."

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

Authority's View

Yet, the government insists there is adequate supply.

India has more than a vast number of household consumers and officials say supplies are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities impact energy markets.

About a majority of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now significantly disrupted by the hostilities.

The oil ministry says that it instructed refineries to increase LPG output for home needs, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Business-grade fuel is being reserved for essential sectors such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "just and open".

"Unnecessary hoarding and hoarding has been sparked by rumors. The standard supply timeline for household cylinders remains about two-and-a-half days," says a senior official.

Spreading Anxiety

Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.

According to analysis from energy specialists, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be exaggerated.

India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about 2.5-2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the waterway, largely from Middle Eastern nations.

Even if petroleum transit through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the shortfall could be partly made up by higher imports of competitively priced oil from Russia, according to a sector expert.

Based on shipping data and expert analysis, additional Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, reducing India's effective gap 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 two major Asian economies as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.

Kitchen Fuel: The Primary Concern

The key weakness is cooking gas, analysts say.

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

Refineries can adjust processes to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only lift domestic supply to about under half of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports.

In short: "Petroleum shortage concerns can be somewhat alleviated through varied suppliers. Refined product supply remains fairly adequate. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."

What may be worsening the panic on the ground is not just scarcity but patchy deliveries - and the familiar spectre of hoarding.

An industry representative states exploitative practices.

"Retailers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and sold to the highest bidder."

For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by worldwide shipping. But in homes across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next gas canister.