India Urges Consumers to Avoid Panic Buying of LPG Amid Supply Disruptions
India has urged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumers to avoid panic buying and switch to piped natural gas where possible as global supply disruptions affect fuel availability. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the federal oil ministry, said the disruptions are linked to global shipping constraints following the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has halted traffic through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The government has also warned against hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders and is coordinating with state authorities to control such activities.
India has around 333 million households that rely on LPG cylinders, while more than 150 million households receive cooking gas through pipelines. According to Sharma, nearly six million LPG-consuming households could easily shift to piped natural gas, which would help ease pressure on cylinder supplies. Authorities have encouraged residential, commercial, and industrial consumers in major cities experiencing shortages to approach their local city gas distribution companies to arrange piped gas connections.
The surge in panic buying has significantly increased demand, with daily LPG booking requests rising to about 7.6 million compared to around 5.5 million at the start of March. India consumed 33.15 million metric tons of cooking gas last year, with nearly 60% imported—about 90% of it from the Middle East. To address the shortage, refiners have been directed to boost domestic LPG production, which has already increased by 30% since March 5, while ports are prioritizing berthing for LPG carriers and alternative fuels are being recommended for commercial users.
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