India has accelerated its shift to piped natural gas, with more than 5.01 lakh new PNG connections gasified since March and over 5.68 lakh consumers registering for fresh connections, even as authorities manage LPG supplies amid geopolitical disruptions. With the war in West Asia disrupting cooking gas LPG supplies, the government is pushing households as well as industries to move to piped natural gas -- a more convenient alternative whose supplies have not been very badly hit. LPG users within the reach of a PNG connection have been asked to shift, while orders have been issued for expediting approvals for laying of pipelines that supply gas to burner tips. "Since March 2026, more than 5.01 lakh PNG connections have been gasified," said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, at a news briefing on Tuesday. Gasified means the start of gas supplies. These connections include ones that may have been applied before the crisis as well as after ...
India's dependence on LPG imports and slow expansion of piped gas networks highlight policy gaps, affordability challenges, and consumer behaviour issues hindering a transition to cleaner cooking fuel
The blending of 20 per cent dimethyl ether (DME) --produced from coal gasification -- with LPG could reduce LPG imports by about 6.3 million tonnes annually, leading to a saving of forex of up to USD 4.04 billion (around Rs 34,200 crore) per year, according to a latest report. Coal gasification converts coal into syngas, which is then transformed into DME's clean-burning fuel that serves as a homegrown substitute for imported LPG. The report assumes significance in the wake of India facing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply constraints since the war broke out in West Asia. According to the report titled 'Coal gasification for energy and chemical security' by EY-Parthenon and New Era Cleantech Solution Ltd -- a domestic coal gasification firm -- "DME, producible from coal gasification, can partially substitute LPG imports". It further said 20 per cent blending could displace approximately 6.3 million tonnes of LPG imports annually. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already
LPG exports from the West Asia, Asia's top supplier of the fuel used for cooking and feedstock for petrochemical plants, have plunged since the US-Israeli war with Iran started in late February
The total value of the seized canisters and some vehicles used by the accused was nearly ₹22 lakh, police said
India-flagged vessel crosses Hormuz as limited traffic resumes in the Gulf waters under Iran's watch, with several Indian ships still awaiting clearance
As an LPG shortage linked to the West Asia conflict disrupts cooking gas supply in Indian cities, many migrant workers are leaving metros and returning to their hometowns
In March, India added 580,000 new households to its piped gas network, up from 342,300 a year earlier
Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day's supply of the country's cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores in the next couple of days. "Two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, carrying a combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 tonnes, have safely transited the region and are moving towards Indian shores," an official statement said. While BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai with an expected arrival on March 31, BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1. The US and Israel attacks on Iran and Tehran's sweeping retaliation have all but halted shipping through the strait - the narrow shipping lane that is a conduit for oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to the world. Iran, however, last week said "non-hostile vessels" may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities. Previously, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers had safely sailed through the ...
The old fire is stoked again as firewood and electric fill the LPG gap, and menus shrink
On the positive side, a new route, bypassing Hormuz, opened for India's LPG supplies from Saudi Arabia. But there is a supply shortage for March and a much bigger one for April as of date
India's domestic production supplies about 41 per cent of the country's LPG demand, while the remaining volumes are imported
As the Iran war enters the third week and cooking gas becomes scarce amid a conflict-driven supply shock
Cooking gas LPG consumption in India fell by a steep 17.7 per cent in the first half of March on the back of supply disruptions due to war in West Asia, preliminary industry data showed. LPG consumption fell to 1.147 million tonne during the first fortnight of March, 17.3 per cent lower than 1.387 million tonne consumed in the same period last year and 26.3 per cent lower than 1.557 million tonne demand in the first half of February. India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation. With supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates disrupted, the government has cut LPG supplies to commercial establishments like hotels, and industries to safeguard household cooking gas availability. Preliminary sales data of three state-owned fuel retailers, who control roughly 90 per cent of the market, showed LPG consumption during March 1 to Mar
The notification also stated that consumers with a PNG connection cannot apply for a new LPG connection or obtain cylinder refills
Indian LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely and are sailing towards Mundra and Kandla ports, officials said amid tensions in the Gulf region
The ships were granted safe transit through the strait, which has been all but closed for nearly two weeks, after a deal between New Delhi and Tehran
LPG supplies are tightening across cities, with long delivery delays and limited stock; restaurants and households in several cities are facing shortages
The conflict in West Asia is no longer just a distant geopolitical crisis. Across India, restaurants and hotels are running out of cooking gas, menus are shrinking, and some eateries are shutting down
Retailers and e-commerce platforms report a surge in induction cooktop demand as households look for alternatives amid concerns over possible disruptions in PNG and LPG supply