India Faces Induction Cooktop Rush Amid LPG Shortage Fears

In major cities across India, electric induction cooktops are selling out rapidly as households and businesses rush to secure alternatives amid fears of a liquefied petroleum gas shortage triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The surge, reported in places like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, has led to widespread stock shortages on e-commerce platforms and in retail stores over the past week.

The crisis stems from disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for oil and gas imports. India, the world's second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas, relies on foreign supplies for about two-thirds of its annual consumption, with 85 to 90 percent passing through the strait. The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has halted production at key exporters like Qatar, while strikes and retaliatory actions have tightened supplies from Iraq and Kuwait. As a result, liquefied petroleum gas prices have risen for the first time in about a year, with household cylinders in Delhi now costing around 913 rupees, up 60 percent since early March.

Consumers are turning to induction cooktops as a precautionary measure...