India's fuel consumption increased to 21.37 million metric tonnes in March, the highest since December, but liquefied petroleum gas use decreased due to a supply shortage, according to figures released on Monday.
In February, fuel consumption reached 20.19 million metric tonnes, up 3.2% from March of the previous year. According to data from the Oil Ministry's Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), LPG use decreased by 12.8% from the previous year to 2.38 million tonnes.
The country is experiencing its biggest LPG supply crisis in decades due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. In February, Iran retaliated to US and Israeli strikes by closing the Hormuz Strait, which transports a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas.

Approximately 90% of India's LPG imports for cooking come from the Middle East. The government has used emergency powers to steer restricted LPG supplies towards domestic consumption. Customers with piped gas connections will have their supplies halted after three months.
Petrol sales increased by 12.2% in February and 7.6% compared to the previous year. Diesel usage increased by 8.1% compared to the previous year and over 14% month on month.
Indian state refiners have not boosted retail gasoline and gasoil prices to protect customers from a global market rise. According to industry insiders, Indian refiners are losing around 50 rupees per litre on petrol and approximately 20 rupees on petrol.

Naphtha sales decreased by 8.1% compared to the previous year, while bitumen consumption for road building increased by 10.4% from February but decreased by roughly 7% annually.
Fuel oil use increased by over 31% compared to a year earlier.
Last month, India purchased its first cargo of Iranian LPG after the US lifted sanctions on Tehran's crude and refined fuels, according to trade flows and industry sources.