Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens India's LPG Supplies and Refined Product Markets
Reports indicate that India's LPG supplies face serious disruption risk from conflict near the Strait of Hormuz, with the sector more vulnerable than crude oil markets.
Approximately 90% of India's LPG imports transit the Strait of Hormuz, compared to roughly 30% of crude oil imports that still pass through it (India has diversified crude to ~70% via alternative routes).
Over 1.7 million tonnes of Indian-bound oil, LNG, and LPG cargo was reported stranded in or near the Strait during the escalation in mid-March 2026, affecting 22 vessels with 611 crew members.
Refined product markets are described as more vulnerable than crude because India's ability to rapidly switch LPG sources is constrained by long shipping times from alternate suppliers (US, Australia).
The government has indicated energy supplies remain "secure" with 24/7 monitoring of petroleum stocks, while simultaneously pushing for diplomatic de-escalation.
The Strait of Hormuz: Geography and Strategic Significance
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and thence to the Arabian Sea. It sits between the coastlines of Iran (to the north) and Oman and the UAE (to the south), with a navigable width of approximately 3.2 km (two 3-km-wide shipping lanes with a 3-km separation zone).
India's asymmetric vulnerability — high for LPG (90% Hormuz-dependent) versus moderating for crude (now ~30% Hormuz-dependent after diversification) — reflects structural differences in the geography of supply, not just policy choice.
India's LPG Economy: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and Import Dependence
LPG has moved from an elite urban fuel to a near-universal household cooking medium in India, largely due to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) launched in 2016, which provided free connections to BPL households.
Key Details
- India's annual LPG consumption: approximately 29.6 million tonnes.
- Domestic production covers roughly 40%; the remaining ~60% is imported.
- More than 90% of these imports originate from Gulf producers, with Qatar (~34%) and UAE (~26%) as the top two suppliers.
- Over 330 million LPG consumers in India; approximately 87% of consumption is by households.
- PMUY beneficiaries: over 10 crore connections as of FY25, primarily in rural areas, making these households newly dependent on an imported fuel supply chain.
- LPG is also an industrial and commercial fuel; disruptions carry second-order impacts on food service and manufacturing sectors.
The PMUY-driven expansion of household LPG dependence, while a major welfare achievement, has created a politically sensitive supply vulnerability now exposed by the Hormuz crisis.
India's Energy Diversification Strategy
India has systematically reduced crude oil import concentration since 2022, accelerating after the Russia-Ukraine war enabled discounted Russian crude purchases. However, LPG diversification lags significantly behind crude diversification.
The "refined products more vulnerable than crude" characterization in reports reflects that India's crude diversification success has not been replicated for LPG, leaving a structural gap in energy security architecture.
- Indian cargo stranded in Strait area (March 2026): over 1.7 million tonnes; 22 vessels; 611 crew
- India's LPG import dependency: ~60% of consumption (approximately 17-18 MT/year imported)
- Share of LPG imports transiting Hormuz: ~90%
- India's crude oil Hormuz exposure: reduced to ~30% (vs ~45% historically) after diversification
- Strait of Hormuz daily oil flows: ~20 million b/d (20% of global petroleum consumption)
- India's rank by Hormuz crude destination: 2nd largest (14.7% of flows)
- India's LPG top suppliers: Qatar (~34%), UAE (~26%)
- India's LPG consumers: 330+ million; 87% household use
- PMUY connections: 10+ crore (rural BPL households)
- India's crude import sources: ~40 countries; Russia leads at 30.4%