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

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

As US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are tightening across India, compelling restaurants to cut menus, reduce operating times and in some cases cease operations entirely.

Social media is awash with video clips showing queues outside cooking-gas dealers across Indian urban and rural areas as worries over fuel supplies escalate. Commercial LPG users appear the worst hit: the biggest crunch is in food service establishments.

"The state of affairs is alarming. Kitchen fuel simply is unavailable," says a spokesperson of the an industry group.

Most eateries run either on business-grade gas tanks or direct gas lines, and the shortages are now being felt across the country. "A lot of restaurants have closed - some in the capital, many in the southern states. People are adopting coal and wood and electric cookers to keep kitchens going."

Localized Effects

In a financial hub, accounts say up to a 20% of eateries are already operating at reduced capacity as business fuel stocks dwindle. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with scarce alternatives. "We can only make coffee and nothing else - it is extremely difficult. Operations will be impacted," says a business operator in Bengaluru.

Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Menus are being curtailed, some are skipping midday meals and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are changing as supplies come and go. "Three restaurants in Delhi were shut yesterday - some have resumed operations. It's a changing landscape."

Retailers note a increase in sales of electronic cooking appliances, with some saying they are selling out quickly.

Official Position

Yet, the authorities maintains there is adequate supply.

India has more than 300 million home fuel subscribers and officials say cylinders are being reallocated to households as geopolitical strain from the regional hostilities affect energy markets.

Roughly six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about nine out of ten of those consignments pass through the critical waterway, the vital passage now effectively closed by the war.

The relevant department says that it directed refineries to increase LPG output for household consumption, lifting domestic production by about a quarter. Commercial stock is being allocated for essential sectors such as medical and academic centers, while distribution will be "fair and transparent".

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

Growing Panic

Now the anxiety is moving beyond kitchens. On online networks, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a long, snaking queue of two-wheelers outside a petrol pump. "Anxiety is palpable," the caption reads.

According to data from industry analysts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be premature.

India imports 90% of its petroleum. Around 50% of its crude oil imports - about millions of barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from Middle Eastern nations.

Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are blocked, the deficit could be partly made up by higher imports of Russian petroleum, according to a sector expert.

Based on shipping data and expert analysis, increased Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, lessening India's effective shortfall from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about 1.6 million 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 viable alternative," an analyst noted.

Cooking Gas: The Critical Weakness

The key weakness is LPG, experts note.

India consumes roughly 1 million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the chokepoint.

Refineries can adjust processes to produce a bit more LPG, but even a moderate increase would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country largely dependent on imports.

In short: "Oil import vulnerability can be moderately reduced through diversification. Refined product supply remains fairly adequate. LPG availability is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."

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

An industry representative claims exploitative practices.

"Suppliers are taking advantage of the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a inflated price. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being stockpiled and auctioned off."

For now, India's energy imports may be cushioned by global trade flows. But in restaurants across the country, the more pressing concern is simple: how to get the next refill.