India’s War at Home: LPG Panic, Hormuz Risk and a Government Racing to Stabilise Energy, Shipping and Citizens
India is confronting the domestic consequences of a war it did not start, with the government moving on multiple fronts—energy supply, maritime safety, diplomacy and public communication—to contain the ripple effects of the escalating conflict in West Asia and the effective disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.
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The government’s most immediate challenge has been managing public anxiety over cooking gas and fuel supplies. Officials acknowledged a surge in LPG bookings driven by panic buying. “Daily bookings have increased from an average of 55.7 lakh to 88.8 lakh yesterday,” the Petroleum Ministry said, even though no dry-out has been reported at any LPG distributorship in the country. Authorities repeatedly urged citizens to avoid unnecessary bookings and rely on digital platforms instead of visiting dealerships.
“Citizens are requested to avoid panic bookings of LPG cylinders and use digital modes for booking to prevent crowding at LPG agencies,” the government said, adding that online bookings already account for about 84 percent of all LPG orders.
To stabilise supplies, refineries have been ordered to increase output. Officials confirmed that “LPG production from refineries has been increased by about 31 percent,” while the government’s “highest priority is to ensure uninterrupted domestic LPG supply, particularly for households and priority sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.”
States have been mobilised to enforce supply discipline.
Across the country, joint inspection teams have been raiding suspected hoarding networks, with 1,300 inspections conducted at LPG distributorships in a single day and 1,483 locations inspected in Uttar Pradesh alone, where 24 FIRs were registered, six arrests made and prosecutions initiated against 19 individuals.
At the same time, authorities are activating alternate fuels to ease pressure on LPG. Temporary permissions now allow biomass pellets, coal or kerosene to be used by industries, hotels and restaurants, while an additional 48,000 kilolitres of kerosene has been allocated to states and union territories.
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Despite the anxiety, officials stressed that India’s broader fuel system remains stable.
All refineries are operating at high utilisation levels while maintaining adequate crude inventories, and the country remains self-sufficient in petrol and diesel production, meaning imports are not required to meet domestic demand. Officials again warned the public against panic buying, saying “adequate stocks of petrol and diesel are available and supplies are being maintained regularly.”
The second front of the government’s response lies at sea, where the Hormuz crisis has transformed the Gulf shipping lanes into one of the most dangerous maritime corridors in the world.
But even as shipping disruptions intensify, Indian vessels have begun cautiously moving through the contested waterway. Officials confirmed that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers—Shivalik and Nanda Devi—crossed the Strait of Hormuz carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG, and are scheduled to reach Mundra and Kandla ports on March 16 and 17. Their passage marks one of the few successful transits of energy cargo through the strait in recent days.
Across the Gulf, 22 Indian-flagged vessels carrying 611 seafarers remain in the region, while the Directorate General of Shipping continues monitoring the situation through a 24-hour control room that has handled more than 2,700 calls and nearly 5,000 emails from seafarers and their families since the crisis began.
In the past 24 hours alone, 30 seafarers were repatriated, bringing total repatriations to 253.
To minimise disruptions to trade, the government is coordinating with ports, shipping lines and logistics stakeholders, while major ports have been instructed to provide priority berthing for LPG vessels and concessions on storage, anchorage and berth charges.
The war’s most painful consequences, however, continue to be measured in human lives.
In Sohar, Oman, two Indian nationals were killed and 10 others injured, none seriously, in an attack linked to the widening conflict. Indian missions are assisting the victims and coordinating with Omani authorities to repatriate the bodies.
In earlier incidents tied to maritime attacks in the Gulf, five Indian nationals have died and one remains missing, showing how the war has begun to affect migrant workers and seafarers who had no role in the geopolitical confrontation.
Diplomatically, India is attempting to maintain communication channels with all sides while avoiding direct alignment in the conflict.
The government reiterated that India has “consistently called for de-escalation and resolution of issues through dialogue,” while remaining in contact with Gulf states, Iran, the United States and Israel to safeguard its core interests—energy security, maritime safety and the welfare of its citizens.
The crisis has also spilled into multilateral diplomacy. Officials said discussions within BRICS are ongoing through the Sherpa channel to develop a common position on the West Asia situation, reflecting the involvement of several member states in the conflict.
Meanwhile, India is preparing for the longer economic consequences of the war. Authorities reassured farmers that fertiliser supplies for the upcoming Kharif 2026 season remain more than adequate, with urea stocks higher than last year, DAP inventories nearly double and NPK stocks significantly above normal levels. Domestic urea production is expected to exceed demand as the Rabi season concludes.
But the war itself continues to intensify. U.S. President Donald Trump called on countries dependent on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz to deploy warships to secure the route, saying the waterway should be protected by a broader international coalition. Iran responded sharply, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi describing the appeal as Washington “begging” for help and warning civilians to evacuate several major ports in the United Arab Emirates that Tehran claims are being used to support U.S. strikes.
At the same time, the United States has expanded its military presence in the region and carried out strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal, while Iran continues launching missiles and drones at Israeli and Gulf targets.
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