The United Arab Emirates (UAE) overtook the United States to become India’s largest supplier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in September, as shipments from the Gulf region rebounded following months of disruption. Data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler showed that the UAE accounted for 39% of India’s LPG imports during the month, compared with 13% in August.
The UAE supplied around 547,000 tonnes of LPG in September, marking a 182% increase from the 193,000 tonnes supplied in August. Meanwhile, US shipments declined 58% month-on-month to 323,000 tonnes. The US share of India’s LPG imports fell from 53% in August to 23% in September.
The US had been India’s largest LPG supplier for the previous six months after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by the US-Iran conflict, affected traditional supply routes from the Gulf. India increased purchases from the US to compensate for reduced supplies from West Asia.
Other Gulf suppliers also recorded growth in September. Kuwait supplied 132,544 tonnes of LPG, up 15.6% from August, while Qatar’s shipments rose 76% to 115,340 tonnes. India did not import LPG from Saudi Arabia during the month.
Despite the rebound in Gulf supplies, India’s overall LPG imports declined by around 4% in September to 1.39 million tonnes compared with the previous month.
India imports a significant share of its LPG requirements to meet household cooking fuel demand. The latest shift highlights how geopolitical tensions, shipping disruptions and freight costs can quickly change the country’s energy sourcing patterns.
Analysts expect India to continue diversifying its LPG suppliers even as Gulf shipments recover. Maintaining a broader sourcing base could help the country manage supply risks and reduce dependence on any single region. However, the Gulf remains a key source of India’s energy imports.
