New Delhi, March 17, 2026: India has witnessed a significant decline in domestic cooking gas usage due to global supply disruptions. In the first half of March, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) consumption fell by 17.7%, highlighting the impact of international conflicts on essential energy supplies.
According to recent data, LPG usage in India during March 1–15 decreased to 1.147 million tonnes, compared to 1.387 million tonnes during the same period last year — a 17.3% drop. This decline follows reduced demand in early February as well, which fell 26.3% compared to 1.557 million tonnes in the same period last year.
India imports nearly 60% of its LPG requirements, with the majority supplied through the Hormuz pipeline system. Recent tensions in the Middle East, including military actions affecting Iran, have disrupted supply channels, creating a shortfall in LPG availability.
To manage the situation, the government has reduced LPG allocations to commercial establishments, including hotels and industries, while prioritizing household cooking gas supplies. Three major state-owned distributors, which control nearly 90% of the LPG market, have reported that domestic consumption between March 1–15 is down 16% compared to 2024 and 10.6% compared to 2023 for the same period.
Meanwhile, consumption of petrol and diesel has seen mixed trends. Due to restrictions on aviation fuel routes in certain neighboring countries, aviation fuel usage fell by 4%, while petrol usage increased by 13.2%, reaching 1.5 million tonnes, and diesel consumption rose 8.2% to 3.384 million tonnes during the same period.
The current scenario underscores the sensitivity of India’s energy sector to global conflicts. While household LPG supply has been maintained through controlled distribution, rising costs and limited availability could affect daily consumption patterns if international supply remains constrained.
