India’s Cooking Gas Usage Drops 13% in March Amid Middle East Supply Disruptions
India’s LPG consumption fell 13% in March due to Middle East tensions and supply disruptions, despite an overall annual increase in gas usage.
Prasanth Subramani
India’s cooking gas usage declined by 13% in March compared to the same period last year, according to recent data, largely due to supply disruptions caused by ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The country recorded LPG consumption of 2.379 million tonnes in March this year, down from 2.729 million tonnes in March last year.
India relies heavily on imports from countries such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for its gas requirements. However, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to geopolitical tensions have affected supply chains, contributing to the decline in consumption.
To manage the shortage, the central government prioritized domestic LPG supply for household use while reducing allocations for commercial consumption. As a result, household LPG sales declined by 8.1% to 2.219 million tonnes, while non-domestic sectors experienced a sharper impact.
India meets nearly 60% of its gas demand through imports, making it vulnerable to global supply disruptions. In response, the government has encouraged increased domestic production and greater output of gas from petrochemical operations. Consequently, domestic gas production rose from 1.1 million tonnes in March last year to 1.4 million tonnes this year.
Despite the decline in March, overall LPG consumption for the financial year 2025–26 increased by 6%, reaching 33.212 million tonnes, indicating sustained long-term demand growth in the country.
