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Government warns of panic cylinder bookings amid West Asia tensions
March 14, 2026: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday said liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply remains stable across India despite concerns linked to the escalating conflict in West Asia. Addressing the situation, ministry official Sujata Sharma said no LPG distribution centre in the country has reported stockouts so far, although authorities are closely monitoring the situation due to rising demand.
Officials noted that LPG bookings have surged sharply in recent days due to panic buying by consumers. According to Sharma, bookings that were around 7.5–7.6 million earlier have now increased to nearly 8.8 million within a short period. The government, however, reassured citizens that crude oil supply remains sufficient and that refineries are operating at full capacity, with no reports of shortages of petrol or diesel at retail outlets.
The ministry also said efforts are underway to reduce pressure on LPG supplies by encouraging commercial users to switch to piped natural gas (PNG). In this regard, GAIL has held discussions with city gas distribution operators to accelerate PNG connections. The developments come as the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz faces disruptions amid the ongoing regional conflict, through which nearly 90 percent of India’s LPG imports pass.