West Asian war exposes vulnerabilities in India's LPG supply and welfare architecture
India's LPG crisis, triggered by the West Asian war in March 2026, exposed critical weaknesses in its clean cooking system despite the success of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The scheme, which connected over 10 crore households to LPG, failed to protect beneficiaries when the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, highlighting India's 60% import dependence and lack of an LPG-specific buffer. The article argues that while PMUY scaled uptake, it lacked continuity under stress, as the state's sovereign guarantee had no physical infrastructure backing it. This misalignment disproportionately affected the poorest and marginalized communities, who reverted to biomass due to rising prices and supply issues, revealing structural gendered dimensions where women bear the burden of supply failures.
Key Points
- The West Asian war in March 2026 exposed India's vulnerability in LPG supply due to reliance on the Strait of Hormuz.
- Despite the success of PMUY in expanding LPG access, the welfare architecture lacked resilience during supply disruptions.
- India's high import dependence (60% of LPG, 90% through Strait of Hormuz) and absence of an LPG-specific buffer are critical flaws.
- The crisis disproportionately affected vulnerable groups, who reverted to biomass due to unaffordable refills and supply issues.
- The article suggests design measures like a strategic LPG buffer, diversified import routes, and community biogas to build redundancy.
Exam Facts
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) connected 10.33 crore households to clean cooking fuel since 2016.
- India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption, with 90% passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves cover about 9.5 days of crude oil supply but lack an equivalent LPG-specific buffer.
- The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) found women saved about an hour daily after accessing LPG.
- Rahul Verma is an independent researcher and sociology educator.
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