Keeping the Fire Burning

The ongoing LPG shortages reveal how fragile India’s cooking fuel system really is. At a time of escalating tensions in West Asia, which supplies a significant share of the world’s LPG, India’s heavy reliance on imports—nearly 60%—is once again proving to be a risky gamble. What happens thousands of kilometres away is now deciding what cooks, or doesn’t cook, in Indian homes and businesses.

The distress is already visible on the ground. Families are waiting over a month for cylinder deliveries, while small businesses—dhabas, eateries, and roadside kitchens—are being pushed to the brink by steep price hikes. The emergence of black markets, where commercial cylinders are sold at double the price, reflects not just scarcity but desperation. For many, this is not about inconvenience anymore; it is about survival. Migrant workers, unable to cope with rising costs, are quietly drifting back to rural homes where firewood and chulhas still offer a fallback—at the cost of health and dignity.

The government’s response—ramping up production, prioritising domestic users, and pushing alternatives like PNG—may ease immediate pressure, but it does not resolve the deeper issue. India’s clean cooking story has leaned too heavily on LPG, without building enough buffers against global shocks. Even the sudden spike in demand for induction cooktops, leading to shortages on platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, shows how unprepared the system is for a smooth transition.

This moment calls for more than firefighting. It demands honest introspection. Clean cooking cannot remain synonymous with LPG alone. Expanding electric cooking where power supply is reliable, investing in diversified energy options, and planning transitions with affordability in mind are no longer future goals—they are immediate necessities.

The LPG shortage is about policy foresight. Without structural reforms, India risks remaining hostage to global shocks—where every geopolitical tremor translates into domestic instability. The real issue is not just supply—it is dependence. And unless that changes, India’s kitchens will continue to burn at the mercy of global uncertainties.