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BBC World Service announces four senior appointments
LONDON: BBC World Service has announced the appointment of new regional heads for Africa, Eurasia, the Americas and Asia and Pacific region.
The current head of Africa and Middle East region, Barry Langridge, will become head of the Asia and Pacific region. He was previously a diplomat in Africa. He has lived in India, working in a village health project, and as Christian Aid’s project officer for Pakistan, Northern India and Bangladesh. During his BBC career Barry has also worked as a television current affairs producer. He was appointed Head of Africa and Middle East region in 1997.
Behrouz Afagh-Tabrizi has been appointed Head of Eurasia region. The region encompasses Russia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Behrouz was born and brought up in Iran and has lived in Britain since 1978. He joined the BBC Persian Service in 1983 and later became editor. In 1994 he set up the BBC Central Asian Service and was its head until 1999, when he was appointed news and current affairs editor for the Eurasia region.
Lucio Mesquita has been appointed Head of the Americas region. He has been acting head of the region since October. Born in Brazil, Lucio joined the Brazilian Service as a producer in 1991. He worked on Newshour and The World Today and became editor of the Brazilian Service in 2000. As Head of the Americas, he is responsible for BBC World Service broadcasts in North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.
Jerry Timmins, the former Head of the Americas, who for the past three months has led the Make It Happen project at BBC World Service, will shortly take up his new post as Head of Africa and Middle East region. Jerry joined the BBC in 1979 as a journalist. In 1988 he was appointed head of a newly re-established Caribbean Service and later joined BBC Television’s current affairs programme Newsnight before he returned to BBC World Service in 1992.
All five Heads of Region at BBC World Service are members of the World Service Management Board.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
