The repercussions of a war being fought nearly 1,864 miles away are now reaching India's homes.
As military actions on Iran impede energy transports through the key maritime chokepoint, stocks of kitchen fuel are dwindling across India, pushing restaurants to shorten food lists, close earlier and in some cases cease operations entirely.
Social media is awash with video clips showing lines outside LPG distributors across Indian metros and localities as concerns over fuel supplies spread. Restaurant kitchens appear the worst hit: the sharpest squeeze is in commercial eateries.
"Conditions are critical. Cooking gas simply is unavailable," says a official of the a major restaurant body.
Most eateries run either on industrial fuel canisters or direct gas lines, and the scarcities are now being felt across the country. "Numerous restaurants have ceased operations - some in the capital, many in the southern region. People are switching to traditional burners and electronic appliances to keep kitchens going."
In a western metro, media reports say up to a significant portion of hospitality businesses are already fully or partly shut as cylinder availability tighten. In the southern cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, some restaurants say their cylinder inventory have dwindled with little backup. "Our menu is reduced to coffee and no other dishes - it is nothing less than pathetic. Commerce will take a hit," says a chain proprietor in Bengaluru.
Restaurant managers are seeking alternatives. "Food options are being cut, some are cutting lunch service and operating solely in the evening," an industry representative says, adding that closures are varying as supplies wax and wane. "Several establishments in Delhi were shut yesterday - two have already reopened. It's a dynamic scenario."
Retailers note a increase in sales of induction stoves, with some saying they are facing stockouts.
Yet, the officials maintains there is no shortage.
India has more than a vast number of household consumers and spokespersons say cylinders are being prioritized to households as tensions from the Middle East conflict ripple through energy markets.
About six out of ten of India's LPG is imported, and about the vast majority of those consignments pass through the key maritime route, the strategic bottleneck now largely blocked by the conflict.
The petroleum ministry says that it instructed refineries to maximise LPG output for household consumption, lifting domestic production by about 25%. Business-grade fuel is being reserved for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions, while distribution will be "just and open".
"Unnecessary hoarding and hoarding has been sparked by rumors. The regular refill period for household cylinders remains about 60 hours," says a ministry representative.
Now the worry is spreading beyond kitchens. On social media, a widely shared video from Chennai shows a extended procession of motorbikes outside a fuel station. "Concern is genuine," the text reads.
According to reports from market experts, concerns about India's broader fuel supplies may be premature.
India imports the overwhelming majority of its petroleum. Around half of its crude oil imports - about 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels a day - travel through the passage, largely from regional suppliers.
Even if crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are hindered, the deficit could be partly compensated for by higher imports of discounted Russian crude, according to a refinery and oil markets analyst.
Based on maritime intelligence and credible market sources, additional Russian crude imports could reach around a significant volume of barrels a day, reducing India's effective gap from exposure to the Strait of Hormuz to about a substantial volume of barrels a day.
"A large quantity of Russian oil barrels are currently floating on ships in the Indian Ocean and, with only key buyers as major buyers, those barrels remain a ready fallback," an analyst noted.
The real vulnerability is cooking gas, analysts say.
India consumes roughly one million barrels a day, but produces only less than half domestically, importing the rest - the vast majority through the Strait.
Refineries can modify output to produce a bit more LPG, but even a limited rise would only raise domestic supply to about 47-50% of demand, leaving the country significantly leaning on imports.
In short: "Crude supply risk can be somewhat alleviated through diversification. Fuel availability remains fairly adequate. Kitchen fuel stocks is the key factor to monitor in the coming weeks."
What may be heightening the anxiety on the ground is not just limited availability but uneven distribution - and the usual problem of hoarding.
An industry representative claims exploitative practices.
"Distributors are exploiting the situation - illegally trading canisters and selling them at a high cost. In one small town, I heard of cylinders being accumulated and auctioned off."
For now, India's oil supplies may be cushioned by global trade flows. But in kitchens across the country, the more urgent issue is simple: how to get the next gas canister.
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