India, March 18 -- Cooking gas LPG consumption in India fell by a steep 17.7 per cent in the first half of March on the back of supply disruptions due to war in West Asia, preliminary industry data showed.

LPG consumption fell to 1.147 million tonne during the first fortnight of March, 17.3 per cent lower than 1.387 million tonne consumed in the same period last year and 26.3 per cent lower than 1.557 million tonne demand in the first half of February.

India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation. With supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates disrupted, the Government has cut L...