US-Israel war on Iran: Indian homes stockpile electric stoves to beat gas crunch

Indian households are rushing to buy electric induction stoves, draining ⁠stocks online and in stores, ⁠amid fears of a potential cooking gas ⁠shortage tied to the Middle East conflict.India, the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), has invoked emergency powers to boost supplies for households even as availability tightens for commercial users including canteens, hostels and restaurants.Meanwhile, consumers are buying electric cooking appliances as a precaution, with some ‌households worried about refill delays and higher prices.Checks by Reuters on Thursday showed several induction stove models were unavailable on Amazon, Walmart-backed Flipkart, Eternal’s Blinkit and Zepto, while some offline chains said fresh supplies were still days away.Induction stove sales on Amazon India have jumped more than 30-fold, while rice cookers and electric pressure cookers are up fourfold, a company spokesperson said.People surround a vehicle loaded with LPG cylinders in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. Photo: ReutersKitchen appliances maker TTK Prestige said demand for induction stoves ⁠had surged far beyond supply.