India Turns to US as West Asia Conflict Disrupts Gulf Energy Supplies

India has significantly increased its imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States, as disruptions caused by the conflict in West Asia have constrained supplies from traditional Gulf suppliers. According to data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler, India imported about 0.62 million tonnes of LPG from the US in August, accounting for more than 73% of the country's total LPG imports.

The July US volume was almost equal to the highest-ever monthly LPG import from the United Arab Emirates, India's traditional supplier, which was 0.891 million tonnes in October 2025. Imports from Gulf suppliers have fallen sharply after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war between Iran and the US.

Sumit Ritolia, senior manager - modelling at Kpler, noted that the shift towards the US has been driven by constrained Middle Eastern availability and the need for Indian buyers to diversify and secure replacement cargoes. He added that energy trade flows do not adjust immediately to geopolitical developments due to contractual commitments, cargoes already in transit, and procurement lead times.