India has rapidly increased its liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas purchases from the United States as Gulf supplies collapsed due to the ongoing Iran-US war. The conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, the critical passage connecting Gulf producers to major consumers like India. Data from maritime analytics firm Kepler shows the dramatic shift in India’s energy sourcing during August 2026.
US LPG Share Crosses 73 Percent of Total Imports
India imported about 6.2 lakh tonnes of LPG from the United States in August 2026. This volume represents more than 73 percent of India’s total LPG imports. The share surged even though absolute US volumes were lower than July’s 8.9 lakh tonnes, because Gulf supplies fell far more sharply.
Gulf LPG Deliveries Drop to Near Zero
The UAE supplied only 1.4 lakh tonnes of LPG to India in August. Qatar sent just 60,000 tonnes. Saudi Arabia delivered zero LPG to India in both July and August. The Strait of Hormuz closure has severely disrupted all Gulf energy shipments.
US LNG Imports Also Rise
India’s LNG imports from the United States rose to about 7.5 lakh tonnes in August from 7.2 lakh tonnes in July. Qatar, previously India’s largest LNG supplier, saw its exports fall to zero in April. Qatar had routinely supplied up to 12 lakh tonnes of LNG per month before the crisis.
Higher Costs and Diversification Drive Change
Kepler senior manager Sumit Ritolia said import costs are rising due to dependence on distant suppliers. Longer maritime journeys mean higher freight charges. Limited global supply is pushing up commodity prices. Ritolia said the shift is not a deliberate replacement of West Asian supplies but a response to the supply crunch and a diversification effort.
Russia Leads Crude Oil Supply
Russia remains India’s largest crude oil supplier with about 20 lakh barrels per day in August. That is more than three times the 6.1 lakh barrels per day from the UAE. India also imported 3.83 lakh barrels per day from Venezuela. Kepler data indicates the American continent is becoming an increasingly important crude oil source for India. Ritolia said Russian crude imports are unlikely to decline because global supply remains tight and replacing West Asian volumes is difficult.
