New Delhi street stalls show the cost of India’s energy crunch

The war in the Persian Gulf and disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a sharp fuel crisis in India, hitting urban workers and small businesses the hardest. LPG shortages have pushed up cooking costs, forcing street vendors and households to switch to costlier or less efficient alternatives like kerosene, coal, and firewood. At New Delhi's Kashmiri Gate station, food stalls have seen sales halve as prices for basic meals rise. The Indian government has invoked emergency powers to boost local production and is cracking down on black market hoarding, but supply remains critical with only a few LPG vessels reaching ports this month.