News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 hosts riveting knowledge sharing sessions with industry leaders on the FM’s Rs. 20 lac crore economic package announcements, on its special series – ‘The Reset’
As the world grapples with the dire consequences of the pandemic; giving hope to the nation, PM Narendra Modi announced the biggest economic stimulus package of INR 20 lakh crore on 12th May. Following the same, FM Nirmala Sitharaman has addressed multiple press conferences announcing several relief measures for various sectors and promoting the idea of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India). With an aim to present a complete overview of the entire situation to its audience, CNBC-TV18, India’s leading English business news channel, invites several industry experts on its special series ‘The Reset’.
Through a series of riveting knowledge sharing and analysis sessions, the channel evaluates, reviews and discusses the impact of all the five tranches of relief measures announced by the FM, on the lives of the working-class people and businesses at large. There were also several measures announced for the MSMEs, the migrant workers, NBFCs and MFIs. By inviting some of the greatest minds from across industries to provide insightful analysis on several aspects of the announcements, the series intends to help the audience understand the relief measures in a better manner.
Offering their insights on the announcements are eminent industry experts that included Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor to the Govt. of India; Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog; Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC; Rajiv Kumar, VP, NITI Aayog; TV Narendran, Vice President, CII; Subhash Chandra Garg, Former Finance Secretary; Sunil Mehta, IBA Chief; N. Venkatram, Managing Partner and CEO, Deloitte India; Dr. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group; Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME); Sharad Kumar Saraf, President, FIEO; Keki Mistry, Vice Chairman & CEO, HDFC; Dr Haseeb Drabu, Former Finance Minister of J&K and Economist; Harish Damodaran, National Editor, Rural Affairs and Agriculture, Indian Express; VG Kannan, Former Chief Executive, IBA; Jayant Sinha, Member of Parliament, BJP; Rashesh Shah, Chairman & CEO, Edelweiss; RK Bansal, MD, Edelweiss ARC; Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Advisor, State Bank of India; Upasna Bhardwaj, Sr. Economist, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Amit Agarwal, Sr. VP & Country Manager, Amazon India; Dr. CL Dadhich, Secretary, Indian Society of Agriculture Economics, Former SGM, NIDD and Former Director of Rural Economics, RBI; Nilesh Shah, MD & CEO Capital Envision; L Viswanathan, Chair, Finance & Insolvency, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
Asserting its commitment to the audience, the channel testifies on its dedication to provide valuable, and knowledgeable insights in these testing times as well.
Catch the show The Reset on CNBC-TV18 and CNBCTV18.com
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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.
