Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a state-run company in India, has issued a rare tender for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker to load 12,000 metric tons of butane and 8,000 tons of propane from Ust-Luga port in Russia. This tender reflects India's urgent need for LPG amid its worst supply crisis in decades, largely due to disruptions in supplies from the Middle East following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The tender document specifies that the vessel must not be under sanctions and must have no connections to Iran. As part of efforts to mitigate the crisis, Indian authorities are exploring LPG imports from a wider range of countries, including the U.S., Norway, Canada, and Russia. In 2022, India consumed 33.15 million tons of LPG, with imports accounting for approximately 60% of its total demand, predominantly sourced from the Middle East.