India Raises LPG Booking Gap To 25 Days Amid Hoarding Fears And Middle East War Tensions, Black Market Rates Touch Rs.1500

The Indian government just bumped up the LPG booking gap from 21 to 25 days. Why? They want to stop people from hoarding cylinders and make sure everyone gets a fair shot at buying cooking gas, especially with all the tension in West Asia right now.

Basically, you now have to wait at least 25 days between two bookings for your domestic LPG cylinder.

India Raises LPG Booking Gap To 25 Days

Sources told ANI that people used to book cylinders every 55 days, but some started squeezing those bookings down to just 15 days. That kind of rush makes it way too easy for hoarders and black market sellers to mess up the supply.

On top of that, officials a reputed publication that India has enough crude oil to last about 25 days. They’re already looking for other places to import crude oil, LPG, and LNG to keep the country’s energy needs covered. 

India Tightens LPG Booking Rules

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has also told authorities to make sure propane and butane are set aside for household LPG use. In Pune, the city shut down gas-powered crematoriums for now, just to make sure there’s enough cooking gas for homes.

Prices aren’t sitting still, either. As the conflict drags on, a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder now costs Rs 60 more, and the 19-kg commercial one jumped by Rs 115. Oil companies made it official on March 7. That’s the second time in less than a year that LPG prices have gone up.

Has the Crisis Affected LPG Prices in Black Market Amid US Iran War? 

The rumour of a huge cooking gas crisis has created panic in many of the states, with the LPG cylinders being reported to be sold at a high price of up to Rs 1500 in the market.

The panic is after the US-Israel-Iran war that has recently intensified and disrupted global energy supply lines, compelling the Indian government to adopt emergency action.

In Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, long queues were observed at gas agencies during the weekend. In Sitapur, a viral video was recorded of hundreds of people sitting on empty cylinders outside the office of a distributor.

They are trying to book additional refills or stock up in fear that the supply would be halted completely as a result of the war in the Middle East.

What is the actual price of the LPG? 

Although there are some shrewd local vendors who are said to be charging as much as Rs 1,500, the price offered officially is significantly lower.

On March 7, 2026, oil marketing companies (OMCs) increased the cost of a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder of LPG by 60.

The Hindu states that the new official non-subsidised cylinder rate in Delhi is 913. The prices are between 912 and 940 in other cities such as Mumbai and Kolkata.

This is the sharpest increase in almost a year, but it is certainly no comparison with the high bid countries are charging through the panic-sellers in the country districts.

Is there a real shortage of LPG? 

The answer is yes but no the supply chain is strained. The Strait of Hormuz which is a vital sea route of 60 percent of the LPG imports of India has turned out to be a war zone, and shipping has become challenging.

The Indian government has used emergency powers in order to avert a real crisis.

The Ministry of Petroleum has instructed all domestic refineries to cease production of any chemicals related to plastics but to utilize all raw materials available (propane and butane) so as to produce most possible LPG production.

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