New Delhi, March 30 -- With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut amid the Iran war, India is scrambling to secure cooking gas and LNG supplies. State-run giants Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL) and GAIL (India) Ltd. are now in early talks with Angola's Sonangol to lock in supplies.

This isn't just another trade discussion. It's a sign of how fragile global energy routes can be. India imports nearly 60% of its LPG and half of its natural gas needs, with West Asia doing the heavy lifting. Now, with up to 90% of LPG imports disrupted, the pressure is real and immediate.

Angola could offer a quicker alternative compared to distant markets like the US, but possibly at a higher ...