**Cooking Gas Crisis Hits India** Life has become very challenging for many homemakers in India, particularly those living in rural areas. With cooking gas supplies severely impacted due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and other countries, many have been forced to go back to the old ways of cooking with firewood. For Babitha Sivadasan, a resident of rural Kerala, this is a painful reminder of a bygone era. "Things have become so bad that I've had to start using firewood to cook," she laments. "My gas cylinder is almost empty, and the distributor hasn't taken bookings for a week." Babitha is not alone in her desperation; many others are facing similar difficulties. The situation has become so dire that people are now turning to illicit means to get cooking gas. In the bustling Chala marketplace in Thiruvananthapuram, a 19kg cooking gas cylinder meant for commercial use was brazenly stolen from a hotel in broad daylight. This is a stark reminder of how far people will go to get cooking gas, a basic necessity for most households. India, which relies heavily on imported oil, is particularly vulnerable to supply shocks. With a significant portion of its oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the country is exposed to disruptions in the Middle East. The recent US pressure on India to scale back Russian crude purchases has further complicated the situation. As the situation worsens, many Indians are left to wonder when the crisis will end. The government's efforts to address the shortage have been slow to materialize, leaving many households to face the harsh reality of a cooking gas crisis. One thing is certain: life for many Indians will not return to normal until the cooking gas crisis is resolved. In Nigeria, similar challenges have been faced with regards to cooking gas, particularly in rural areas where access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is limited. However, the current crisis in India highlights the importance of diversifying energy sources and investing in local production to reduce dependence on imported oil.