India’s LPG supply chain may take up to four years to fully recover, a senior government official said.
Prolonged disturbance is associated with the unexplained The US-Israeli war on Iran, which began at the end of last February. Although a fragile temporary ceasefire is currently in effect, instability continues to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a major route through which nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports pass.
“Based on input from affected suppliers, the restoration process could take at least three years, and possibly longer,” the official said. Money control. “Your LPG supply may take this long as some very vital supplies are shut down,” they said.
“What exactly ‘closed’ means is not entirely clear, whether the entire wells have been exhausted or production has stopped, but the suppliers themselves say it will take at least three years,” the official added.
India’s dependence on imports
India meets about 60% of its needs LPG is in demand through imports, especially from Gulf countries including the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The current unrest has led to a decline in supplies from these countries, with their share in India’s LPG imports falling to about 55%.
LPG prices rise
The supply crunch affected retail prices. Experienced domestic LPG cylinders $60 Recently”>increase $60 recently, while commercial cylinders have become more expensive $115.
This rise affects households as well as sectors such as hospitality and small businesses, while the burden of government support is also likely to increase.
Moving towards PNG
The government is pushing families to switch to it Pipeline natural gas (PNG) transportation in areas accessible by pipeline to reduce dependence on imported LPG.
In March, it directed eligible households to make the switch within 90 days.
PNG provides steady supplies and can be cheaper in the long term, but expansion is still slow. As of early 2026, only about 1.6 crore households, about 12-13%, use PNG, which is far below the targets.
The government now plans to accelerate the expansion of the network through a $An investment of Rs 5,000-6,000 crore, which could cover up to 50% of pipeline costs.
Alternative cooking solutions such as electric appliances, biogas and emerging green hydrogen technologies were also explored.
