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

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

As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz, supplies of cooking gas are shrinking across India, compelling restaurants to reduce offerings, close earlier and in some cases close completely.

Social media is flooded by video clips showing queues outside LPG distributors across Indian urban and rural areas as concerns over fuel supplies grow. Restaurant kitchens appear the hardest struck: the sharpest squeeze is in food service establishments.

"The state of affairs is alarming. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the a major restaurant body.

Most restaurants run either on business-grade gas tanks or pipeline-supplied fuel, and the shortages are now being experienced across the country. "A lot of restaurants have shut down - some in northern India, many in the southern states. People are switching to solid fuels and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going."

City-Specific Fallout

In Mumbai, media reports say up to a significant portion of hotels and restaurants are already operating at reduced capacity as commercial LPG supplies dry up. In the southern cities of tech and coastal hubs, some establishments say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with minimal reserves. "Coffee is the sole item we can prepare and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Businesses are going to suffer," says a restaurant owner in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are scrambling to adapt. "Offering lists are shrinking, some are opening only for dinner and opening only for dinner," an industry representative says, adding that closures are changing as supplies wax and wane. "A number of eateries in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a fluid situation."

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

Government Stance

Yet, the authorities maintains there is sufficient stock.

India has more than a vast number of household consumers and officials say stocks are being prioritized to households as conflict-related stress from the Middle East conflict impact energy markets.

Approximately a majority of India's LPG is sourced from abroad, and about nine out of ten of those shipments pass through the key maritime route, the vital passage now effectively closed by the conflict.

The oil ministry says that it directed refineries to boost LPG output for household consumption, enhancing domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being prioritised for vital industries such as healthcare and education, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

"Unnecessary hoarding and stockpiling has been sparked by rumors. The regular refill period for domestic LPG remains about under three days," says a ministry representative.

Widening Concern

Now the anxiety is spreading beyond kitchens. On digital platforms, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a lengthy, winding line of scooters outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the description reads.

According to reports from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader energy security may be premature.

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

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

Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, incremental Russian crude imports could reach around 1-1.2 million barrels a day, lessening India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day.

"A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently in transit at sea in the Indian Ocean and, with only India and China as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.

Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness

The primary concern is kitchen fuel, analysts say.

India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only 40-45% domestically, importing the rest - most of it through Hormuz.

Refineries can adjust processes to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only increase 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 alternative sourcing. Processed petroleum stocks remains largely sufficient. Kitchen fuel stocks is the critical issue to track in the coming weeks."

What may be heightening the concern on the ground is not just tight supply but erratic supply chains - and the common threat of hoarding.

An industry representative claims price gouging.

"Suppliers are misusing the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a premium. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being hoarded and auctioned off."

For now, India's petroleum stocks may be protected by international market dynamics. But in restaurants across the country, the more immediate question is simple: how to get the next refill.