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India grapples with LPG crisis amid Middle East conflict, consumers turn to alternatives
India imports 60 per cent of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 90 per cent of it comes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is unpassable due to US-Israel-Iran war
- PUBLISHED: Mon 16 Mar 2026, 6:02 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
India is facing a crisis in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), used by millions of households and restaurants across the country for cooking. Cities and towns experienced an alarming shortfall in LPG cylinders, as consumers ignored pleas by government leaders not to panic.
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India imports 60 per cent of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 90 per cent of it comes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is unpassable due to US-Israel-Iran war
Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, admitted that it was “a challenging situation” confronting the country, and urged the public not to hoard energy and conserve fuel wherever possible.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, an official of the shipping ministry, said that the Shivalik LPG carrier had sailed across the Strait of Hormuz and was scheduled to reach India by 5pm Monday. “And before its arrival, documentation, priority berthing, and everything have been arranged at the port so that there is no delay in the discharge of cargo by this vessel,” he added.
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Sinha noted that all Indian seafarers in the Gulf area are safe. “No incident has been reported in the last 24 hours, and we are keeping a continuous watch on the situation. We are in touch with each vessel and its crew.” According to him, 22 Indian flag vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
Another government official told the media on Monday that sufficient quantity of crude is available in India and all refineries are operating at the highest capacity. Bookings for LPG cylinders have also fallen from 8.88 million on Friday to 7.7 million a day later, said a government spokesperson on Monday. Online bookings have gone up from 84 per cent to 87 per cent as more consumers are using digital platforms for refills.
The government also reminded consumers that under the rules, those with piped natural gas connections are required to surrender their LPG connections. Consumers with PNG connections will no longer be permitted to obtain domestic LPG refills from any public sector oil company.
Interestingly, many large hotels and restaurants across the country have started using firewood as an alternative fuel in their kitchens. And many eateries are also focussing on food items that require less cooking or reheating.
Many consumers have also started buying induction stoves and all top online retailers reported a surge in bookings over the past few days. A survey on Monday revealed that nearly a quarter of 40,000 consumers in over 300 districts had confirmed that they had opted for alternative cooking methods because of the expected shortage in LPG cylinders.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah urged union minister Hardeep Singh Puri to ensure there is no disruption in LPG supply. He told Puri to explore alternative sources of supplies of LPG from other countries.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in parliament and charged the government of failing to take timely steps despite knowing that the Middle East crisis could disrupt energy supplies. The gas shortage is hurting poor households, the middle class, restaurants and small businesses, he said. Some black marketeers were also selling LPG cylinders at five times their normal price, he added.
