India’s LPG Use Slumps as Iran Blocks Hormuz Route
SkimNews Take
Geopolitical disruptions to global energy markets can disproportionately impact the health of vulnerable populations in distant regions, as local energy transitions reverse under price pressures.
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- India imports roughly 60% of its LPG, with about 90% of that supply traditionally transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iran since mid‑April.
- India’s LPG consumption fell by 2.2 million tonnes in April, the steepest drop recorded in recent years.
- LPG prices in informal markets have surged to more than four times pre‑crisis levels, making a 5 kg canister unaffordable for low‑income families.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to adopt fuel‑saving austerity measures, while the defense minister warned that India's strategic gas reserves would last only about 45 days.
- Delhi slum households have reverted to cooking with firewood and coal, exposing families to hazardous smoke and worsening air‑quality concerns.
Why it matters: Low‑income Indian households lose affordable cooking fuel, while informal market sellers profit from inflated LPG prices; the shift to wood fuels spikes indoor air pollution, threatening respiratory health for millions.
