India’s hospitality sector is facing a growing crisis as shortages of commercial cooking gas threaten to disrupt operations at restaurants and hotels across the country.The situation has been triggered by the escalating conflict in West Asia, which has affected energy supplies and shipping routes through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.Industry bodies have warned that thousands of eateries could be forced to temporarily shut down if supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are not restored quickly. The government has stepped in by setting up a committee to review requests for LPG supply from restaurants, hotels and other commercial users, while prioritising domestic cooking gas needs.In Punjab, marriage season and industries hitIn Patiala, the situation has become particularly worrying during the peak wedding season, with families scrambling to arrange cooking gas for wedding feasts and celebrations. Marriage palace owners and caterers say the supply of commercial LPG cylinders has reportedly stopped since late Monday night following government instructions, catching many off guard. With more than 10,000 weddings still scheduled across the state, a prolonged shortage could affect elaborate food preparations. Sukhdev Singh Sidhu of the Punjab Marriage Palace and Resort Association said the industry was taken by surprise. “We learnt about the move only this morning. I am convening a meeting of association members to find ways to tackle the situation,” he said.Industry bodies have also warned that the crisis may hit manufacturing units. The Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings said disruptions in the Middle East could raise raw material costs for MSMEs, especially in industrial hubs like Ludhiana. Rising petrochemical prices and possible shortages of industrial gases could further strain small manufacturers. Sonu, a woman from Chandigarh, said: “Thank God, i got my LPG yesterday.”Supply disruption after West Asia conflictThe ongoing war involving the United States and Israel against Iran has significantly disrupted energy shipments in the Gulf region. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important oil and gas routes — has slowed or halted due to security risks, reports Reuters.The disruption has had a ripple effect on global energy markets. India, which is the world’s second-largest importer of LPG, depends heavily on overseas supplies to meet its domestic and commercial demand. Nearly two-thirds of the country’s LPG consumption is fulfilled through imports, much of it sourced from Gulf producers such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.India typically receives about 85–90 per cent of its LPG imports through the Strait of Hormuz. With shipments affected by the conflict, supplies have tightened, causing a sharp rise in prices and delays in deliveries to commercial users.Restaurants fear shutdownThe shortage has hit the restaurant industry particularly hard because most commercial kitchens rely heavily on LPG cylinders for daily cooking operations. According to the National Restaurant Association of India, any prolonged disruption in LPG supply could force widespread closures.In a letter to the government, the association warned that the restaurant sector, which represents more than half a million establishments across the country, is almost entirely dependent on commercial LPG for cooking.“Any disruption therein will lead to a catastrophic closure,” the association said.Restaurant operators in several cities have already started implementing emergency measures to conserve fuel. Some eateries have reduced menu items that require more gas to cook, while others are exploring alternative cooking methods.Bert Mueller, founder of the Mexican food chain California Burrito, said the company has enough LPG stock for only two days in many of its outlets.“We are working on contingencies,” Mueller said. “We are conserving gas and installing induction stoves at certain stores.”The chain operates more than 100 outlets in cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Noida.Bengaluru restaurants under pressureThe impact is already visible in Bengaluru, often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley. Several restaurant owners there reported delays or complete stoppage of commercial LPG cylinder deliveries.Manish V Shetty, who runs the Udupi Food Hub restaurant chain in the city, said one of his outlets did not receive gas cylinders as scheduled, reports PTI.“Thankfully, one of our older vendors helped us,” he said, adding that his chain pays suppliers immediately instead of operating on credit.The crisis has also pushed up the cost of other cooking essentials. Restaurant operators said prices of sunflower oil have increased sharply, adding to the financial strain.Industry representatives say most restaurants do not maintain large LPG reserves because of safety regulations. Instead, they depend on regular cylinder deliveries.Veerendra Kamat, secretary of the Bengaluru Hotels Association, described the situation as serious.“Most gas companies have stopped supplying commercial cylinders,” he said.Some establishments are already cutting down on menu items that require heavy use of gas and oil in order to stretch existing stocks for as long as possible.Government response and prioritisationThe central government has responded by invoking emergency powers to direct refiners to increase LPG production for domestic use. However, this has meant that commercial sectors such as restaurants and hotels are receiving reduced supplies.The oil ministry has formed a panel of executives from oil marketing companies to review requests for LPG supply from industries and commercial establishments.Officials say the priority is to ensure that households continue receiving cooking gas without disruption.According to government data, India consumes around 31.3 million tonnes of LPG annually. Nearly 87 per cent of this is used in household kitchens, while the rest is consumed by commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and catering services.Industrial gas cuts in GujaratMeanwhile, the Gujarat government has announced a 50 per cent reduction in gas supply for certain industrial uses to safeguard domestic LPG availability, PTI reports.State Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel said the measure aims to prevent panic and ensure households do not face shortages.“We have imposed a 50 per cent cut in gas supply to industries. For fertiliser and milk processing, there is about a 40 per cent reduction,” Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.He added that there is currently no restriction on commercial gas cylinders for restaurants, although the hospitality industry continues to report supply shortages.Growing concern in hospitality sectorHospitality associations have urged authorities to intervene quickly to stabilise LPG supplies. Many restaurants say they can operate for only a few more days if fresh cylinders do not arrive soon.Hotel owners warn that closures could disrupt catering services and affect thousands of workers employed in the sector, especially during the busy wedding season.Industry leaders say a prolonged disruption in energy imports could have broader economic consequences, affecting food services, tourism and small businesses across the country.For now, restaurant operators are hoping that the government’s emergency measures and diplomatic efforts will help restore LPG supply chains before the situation forces widespread shutdowns.