The government is moving to build a stronger safety net for cooking gas supply at a time when global energy routes are under pressure. They have asked public sector oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, to work on a minimum 30-day LPG reserve, over and above the normal stock they already keep for day-to-day demand.
This step has been taken because LPG supply has become more vulnerable due to the West Asia conflict and the strain on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. India depends heavily on imported LPG, and a large share of those imports usually moves through this narrow sea route, so any disruption there can quickly affect the supply chain.
The main idea is simple: if global supply gets disturbed, households should still not face sudden shortages. LPG is used in millions of Indian kitchens, so even a short disruption can create pressure on families, distributors and local supply systems. That is why the government is trying to build a cushion now instead of waiting for a crisis to deepen later.
Officials have said the oil companies are already working on this plan. The proposed reserve is meant to be a medium- to long-term energy security measure, which means it is not just a temporary fix for one conflict, but a broader effort to make India less exposed to outside shocks.
The need for this move becomes clearer when the size of India’s LPG dependence is seen more closely. India meets around 60% of its LPG consumption through imports, and a major part of that imported fuel has traditionally come through the Strait of Hormuz route. In practical terms, that means a problem far away in the sea lanes of West Asia can still be felt in Indian homes.
There is already some stock in the system. India has around 1.4 lakh tonnes of LPG reserve in underground caverns at Mangaluru and Visakhapatnam, but the new proposal is to create an additional strategic buffer for at least 30 days.
Before the current disruption, daily LPG consumption was around 80,000 tonnes, and it has now eased to about 72,000 tonnes because of demand control and seasonal changes.
The government has also taken short-term steps to manage demand. Supplies to industrial and commercial users have been rationed in some cases so that household consumers can be protected first, and the gap between refill bookings for homes has also been increased. This shows that the plan is not only about storing fuel, but also about making sure available fuel is used in the most careful way during uncertain times.
The message is reassuring for the public. The purpose of the move is to reduce the chance of sudden cooking gas pressure if the global situation worsens again. In simple words, the government wants India to be better prepared so a conflict outside the country does not quickly turn into a kitchen-level problem at home.
