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India Today joins global publishers to create Climate Publishers Network
NEW DELHI: The India Today Group has joined an initiative for a new publishers’ network to collaborate on their coverage of climate change ahead of the UN Climate Change Summit in Paris.
India Today is among the 25 media organisations from around the world to have created the Climate Publishers Network (CPN) coordinated by the Global Editors Network (GEN).
It will provide a mutual syndication of articles related to climate change free of charge during the run-up to COP 21. Each media organisation will be able to re-publish material without having to worry about license fees.
The aim of the collaboration is to widen each publisher’s spectrum of coverage between now and the UN Climate Change Summit in December.
The 25 CPN founding partners brought together by The Guardian, El País and the Global Editors Network, will run this initiative for a six-month period, ending on 11 December – the final day of the UN Climate Change Summit.
The founding partners represent a variety of political leanings – from China Daily in China to Politiken in Denmark, from Al Ahram in Egypt to Clarín in Argentina – and are based all over the world: Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe and the Middle East.
Apart from India Today, the founding partners are: The Age (Australia), Al Ahram (Egypt), China Daily (China), Clarín (Argentina), Der Standard (Austria), De Standaard (Belgium), El Comercio (Peru), El Deber (Bolivia), El País (Spain), El Watan (Algeria), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany), Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), The Guardian (United Kingdom), The Irish Times (Ireland), La Presse (Canada), La Repubblica (Italy), Le Monde (France), Le Quotidien de Nouakchott (Mauritania), Politiken (Denmark), The Seattle Times (United States), The Straits Times (Singapore), Stuff (New Zealand), The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) and To Vima (Greece).
Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, El Paris editor-in-chief Antonio Cano, and GEN president Ricardo Kirschbaum are inviting more publishers to join the syndicate. “We very much hope that publications across the political spectrum will join us either in using some of our material or, ideally, offering their own material as well,” the trio said.
Editorial material, as well simple terms and conditions for each publisher, are available from the Climate Publishers Network. A new section will be added for every media partner joining the project.
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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.
