India LPG Shortage: India’s ongoing LPG shortage is no longer just a concern for household cooking, as the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran entered its 12th day on Wednesday. Experts say the situation could also indirectly affect services such as mobile networks and internet connectivity. LPG is used in certain industries and also serves as a backup fuel for generators that power telecom towers and data centres.
If the supply disruption continues, operations in areas that rely on LPG-based generators could face pressure. While telecom companies have alternative power options, a prolonged shortage may increase operational costs and could lead to minor service disruptions in some regions. Amid these concerns, the Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) said oil companies have stopped LPG supplies to telecom tower manufacturers after a government order prioritised domestic consumers. Currently, mobile and internet services across the country remain unaffected.
DIPA emphasised that uninterrupted telecom connectivity is critical for voice and data services, 5G networks, national security operations, emergency response, digital governance platforms, financial transactions, healthcare and telemedicine. The association also warned that the disruption could affect telecom infrastructure manufacturing.
“To prevent damage to galvanization plants and maintain zinc in molten form, some manufacturing partners have shifted to low-flame operations. However, if the disruption continues, plants may be forced to remove molten zinc and shut down operations entirely. Restarting these facilities requires significant time, which could lead to prolonged disruption in tower manufacturing,” DIPA said.
DIPA has urged the Department of Telecommunications to take up the issue with the Ministry of Power and state utilities so that LPG and LNG supplies to telecom tower manufacturing units can be exempted from the order dated March 5, 2026, and restored at the earliest. It has requested priority electricity supply for telecom infrastructure and mobile tower sites, while also raising concerns about towers relying on diesel generators during power outages. If the disruption continues, the rollout of new telecom towers could slow, potentially affecting connectivity expansion in remote and underserved areas.
Saudi Arabia and UAE Pipelines provide backup oil routes amid rising tensions
As tensions between the US and Iran threaten the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, only two major Gulf pipelines currently offer alternative land routes to transport crude to global markets. The first is Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which runs about 746 miles from the oil-rich eastern region of the country to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The second is the UAE’s Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, which carries crude oil from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
Normally, the Strait of Hormuz handles nearly 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply. Any disruption to this key shipping route quickly puts pressure on global energy markets. In such a situation, the main concern is not whether oil prices will rise, but how high they could climb and how long the impact might last.
