War In Iran Forces Nepal To Ration LPG As Fears Of Nationwide Shortages Grow

Last Updated:March 12, 2026, 20:44 IST

Nepal will start rationing cooking gas due to potential shortages from the West Asia conflict.

Nepal is set to initiate rationing of cooking gas amid the possibility that the West Asia conflict could lead to a nationwide shortage, Reuters reported, citing an official.

Chandika Prasad Bhatta, executive director of state-run Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), said authorities would refill only half of consumers’ empty cylinders to make its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stocks last longer.

The development comes amid a raging conflict in West Asia following the coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent retaliation by Tehran across the Gulf nations, which halted shipping through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Bhatta highlighted that there emerged a panic among consumers despite repeated assurances that the country had sufficient supplies of LPG. “The rationing is expected to end the panic and rush for hoarding," he said.

Situation In India

The West Asia conflict and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered concerns about the availability of LPG cylinders, with disruptions being reported across households, restaurants, canteens and catering services in multiple cities.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, addressed the concerns and assured there’s no shortage of LPG, fuel, and petrol.

Noting that the world has not faced such a moment in modern energy history, Puri assured that the nation’s crude supply remains secure.

“The world has not faced a moment like this in modern energy history. Despite India having no role in causing the conflict, like many countries, India has been navigating through a conflict. India’s crude supply position is secure, and the secured volume exceeds what Hormuz would have delivered. Before the crisis, approximately 45 per cent of India’s crude imports transited through the Strait of Hormuz route", Puri told the Parliament.

Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday it would not allow “a litre of oil" to pass through the waterway. The threat came amid a mounting conflict in the region following the February 28 U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.

News world War In Iran Forces Nepal To Ration LPG As Fears Of Nationwide Shortages Grow

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