The cooking gas shortage in India caused by the war in Iran has exposed a serious policy lapse. That is the extreme dependence on imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to fire domestic and industrial kitchens. The country produces just 40 per cent of the cooking gas that it consumes with the rest almost fully coming from the Gulf region. For a country that has been conscious of its excessive dependence on imported fossil fuels and has taken active policy measures to reduce consumption of petrol and diesel, it is strange that cooking gas went under the radar. A major reason is, of course, the messed up subsidy regime which has made it unattractive for refineries to produce more of the fuel. But there may be an opportunity in the crisis now.
Even as the Centre grapples with the shortage now, trying short-term fixes such as asking refineries to divert their propane and butane output to produce cooking gas, the long-term strategy should be to structurally alter the demand dynamics. And that will be to find alternative fuels to fire our kitchens. Electricity is the best alternative. Indian consumers are not new to electric cooking, be it with microwaves or induction stoves. In fact, induction stoves have been flying off the shelves in the last two weeks as consumers seek a safe haven from the cooking gas uncertainty.
The big picture is that electric cooking is better than LPG. An October 2025 study by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis points out that even at a unit rate of ₹8, induction cooking is 37 per cent cheaper. This is essentially because it is more efficient; 85 per cent of the energy is directly transferred to the vessel, whereas in the case of LPG 60 per cent escapes into the air. A wholesale shift can be managed, as most households, pan-India, have an electricity connection. To drive the shift, the Centre could consider a limited-period subsidy on quality electric stoves, akin to the one in place for EVs. A policy thrust that involves premier institutions would be well worth the effort — because what is required here is a safe and energy efficient design of e-stoves at affordable prices. Meanwhile, the current rush to pick up such stoves fearing LPG shortage, could spur the supply of sub-standard, unsafe stoves. The Centre should be watchful and manage this transition.
There is, of course, the question of the impact of this shift on power demand. Thermal power capacity utilisation, at 68 per cent, presents enough headroom for increased output. The renewables transition has arrived at a new inflexion point with a drop in battery prices as well as increased storage capacity. Using time-of-use tariffs and linking up the e-stove plan to the solar rooftop scheme will add impetus. In fact, a plan to shift to e-cooking is already in place. The ‘National Efficient Cooking Programme’, launched in late 2023, has presumably distributed 20 lakh induction stoves. It needs to scale up, with a plan. Finally, every crisis presents an opportunity to be efficient — and the LPG one is no exception.
Published on March 16, 2026