On Friday, March 13, 2026, a nationwide survey by LocalCircles confirmed the staggering scale of India’s cooking gas crisis: 57% of Indian households reported experiencing LPG delivery delays or encountering black marketing in just the last week.
The crisis, which was a “ripple effect” of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the transit point for 90% of India’s LPG imports.
The “LocalCircles” Survey Breakdown
The survey gathered over 57,000 responses across 309 districts, painting a vivid picture of the “kitchen panic” gripping the country.
- Supply Failure: 29% of respondents reported that their local dealers explicitly told them “no cylinders are available” or that their booking was indefinitely delayed.
- Black Marketing: Households reported that domestic cylinders (official price ~₹913) are being sold in the grey market for ₹1,200 to ₹1,500, as desperate commercial users (restaurants/street vendors) buy them up to keep their businesses alive.
- The “25-Day” Rule: To manage the scarcity, the government has mandated a 25-day minimum gap between domestic refills in cities (extended to 45 days in rural areas), which the survey indicates has left large families “stranded” without fuel for over a week.
Why the Shortage is Feeling “Sudden”
The crisis has exposed a major structural weakness: India’s lack of Strategic LPG Reserves.
| Metric | Current Status (March 2026) |
| Import Dependency | 62% of India’s LPG is imported. |
| The Hormuz Choke | 90% of those imports pass through the now-closed Strait of Hormuz. |
| Storage Capacity | India has less than 2 days of national LPG reserves. |
| Consumption | India is the world’s 2nd largest consumer (~3 million tonnes/month). |
Government Response: “Priority 1”
Addressing Parliament on March 12, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri outlined emergency measures to protect household kitchens:
- Refinery Directives: All Indian refineries have been ordered to maximize LPG yields, resulting in a 28% jump in domestic production in the last five days.
- Commercial Cap: Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have cut commercial LPG supply by 80%, allocating only 20% of the usual volume to businesses to ensure households remain “flame-on.”
- System Collapse: Despite government assurances, IVRS and WhatsApp booking systems in states like Telangana and West Bengal reportedly crashed this week due to a 10-fold surge in traffic from panic-buying.
The “Chulha” and “Induction” Pivot
With the crisis entering its second week, daily life is adapting in drastic ways:
- Schools and Temples: Chennai’s Dr. MGR Institute suspended classes until March 25 due to the shortage, while the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has simplified its prasad menu to one vegetable dish to save gas.
- The Induction Rush: Online platforms like Blinkit and Zepto reported that induction cooktops went “out of stock” within hours yesterday as families looked for electric alternatives.
- Alternative Fuels: In Hyderabad and Kerala, hundreds of restaurants have officially switched to firewood and coal, a move the government has temporarily “permitted” for one month to ease the gas demand.
