LPG cylinder price on 20 March: How much does domestic and commercial gas cost in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru today?

The ongoing conflict in Iran has hit its third week, triggering a shortage of cooking gas across India. The central government has continued to reassure the public that domestic reserves of crude and refined fuel are sufficient to handle current demand.

India occupies a vulnerable position as the world’s third-largest oil consumer. Its dependence on West Asian neighbours like Qatar and Saudi Arabia is significant: over 40% of its crude imports and 90% of of its LPG imports are sourced from conflict-hit Middle East.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced India to pivot. To fill the gap, the country has increased its intake from West Africa and Russia. However, these "alternative" routes come with a financial sting — higher freight and insurance charges.

To manage the scarcity, the government has implemented a tiered distribution strategy — prioritising supplies to domestic household kitchens, while cutting supply to commercial establishments, such as hotels, to a fifth of their requirement.

No revisions have been made since.

The differences in LPG prices across the states are because of the local Value Added Tax (VAT) and freight charges.

The scheme covers over 10 crore gas connections provided to low-income households across the country.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ongoing situation has posed challenges for countries across the world, and the diplomatic engagement has helped ensure a safe passage for two Indian LPG vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

"A couple of days back, you saw that because of our engagement, we were able to get two of our LPG ships through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

India is continuing to coordinate with stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies and the safety of its citizens in the Gulf region, he added.

"We continue to be in touch with several stakeholders in this matter so that we can ensure our energy security needs and also at the same time ensure the well-being and safety of our Indian nationals and diaspora who are present in large numbers in the GCC countries," Jaiswal said.

"The government has approved a package which is called RELIEF, meaning Resilience and Logistic Intervention of Export Facilitation. It is an intervention under the Export Promotion Mission to support exporters amidst West Asia logistics disruptions," Senthil Rajan, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said.