Indian imports of cooking gas to more than double

Emerging Markets Economy, Dec 15, 2003

By 2006-2007, India is expected to import more than twice the 1.5 million tonnes (mt) of cooking gas it imports at present, industry representatives said.

This projection was calculated after taking into consideration the oil industry's plans to add 24 mt refining capacities through three new refineries in the Tenth Plan. Capacity addition will help add roughly eight mt liquefied petroleum gas supplies.

According to The Business Line, officials of oil PSUs said India's growing reliance on cooking gas or LPG goes beyond merely higher availability of the gas compared to the controlled regime through the 1980s and 1990s. Officials estimate LPG demand to go up to 12 mt in 2006 compared with 9.5 mt this year.