New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): India’s food service and hospitality sector is facing a rapidly escalating crisis as shortages of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) intensify. Restaurants, hotels, mess kitchens, and food outlets across the country are struggling to operate amid disruptions in global energy supplies caused by the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The conflict has severely disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global oil and LPG exports. Since a significant portion of India’s LPG imports passes through this corridor, the disruption has directly impacted fuel availability in the country.
Restaurant and hotel associations in India’s largest cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, and Delhi report that deliveries of commercial LPG cylinders have sharply declined or stopped altogether. Many establishments have been forced to cut menu items, reduce operating hours, or temporarily close due to lack of cooking gas. In Mumbai, industry bodies estimate that up to 20 % of hotels and eateries have already shut operations, while others are running on limited stock they fear will run out within days. In Bengaluru, a halt in commercial LPG deliveries has led some restaurants to suspend services entirely, prompting the Karnataka Chief Minister to write to the Union Petroleum Minister for urgent intervention. Gas-intensive dishes, including deep fried and slow cooked items, are being removed from menus or replaced with simpler alternatives as kitchens cope with constrained supplies. Smaller food vendors, street stalls, and quick-service restaurants, which operate on thin margins and lack storage capacity, are particularly vulnerable to prolonged shortages.
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has acknowledged the supply pressures and implemented emergency measures to safeguard domestic fuel availability. State refiners have been directed to maximize LPG production, with household consumers, hospitals, and critical services receiving priority. Commercial LPG supplies have been restricted, and domestic booking procedures now include a waiting period of up to 25 days to prevent panic hoarding. Despite these measures, many restaurants remain without access to the larger 19-kg commercial cylinders they rely on, exacerbating the crisis.
Industry experts warn of far-reaching consequences, including potential menu price hikes of 20–30 %, reduced dining options for consumers, and operational disruptions for mess kitchens, airport lounges, and railway catering units. Analysts emphasize that unless global LPG shipments resume and supply chains are stabilized, the commercial LPG crunch could persist for several weeks, leaving the hospitality sector in prolonged uncertainty.
The root of the problem lies in India’s heavy reliance on imported LPG, particularly from the Middle East. Ongoing conflict, shipping disruptions, and energy price spikes have constrained the normal flow of cooking gas into Indian ports. While domestic cylinders for households remain generally available, commercial supplies have been deprioritized, affecting millions of workers and businesses in the restaurant and hospitality sectors.
