August 8, 2026: India’s natural gas consumption rebounded strongly in June 2026, shaking off the supply anxieties triggered by geopolitical tensions earlier in the year. According to a sectoral report by JM Financial, the nation's total gas demand is back above the pre-Iran war level of 197 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd).

This marks a 6.8 per cent, or 12.6 mmscmd, increase on a month-on-month basis, reflecting 1.5 per cent year-on-year growth and sitting 1.4 per cent higher than the February 2026 baseline recorded just before the Iran crisis.

The turnaround was largely spearheaded by a voracious appetite for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). JM Financial highlighted that LNG demand experienced a sharp recovery, surging 13 per cent from the previous month to hit approximately 110 mmscmd.

The shutdown of Qatar's 82 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) LNG plant since March 2026 had initially shelved off 40 mmscmd, or 9.5 to 10 mmtpa, of India's import supply, the brokerage said.

However, it noted that this deficit has been "largely offset by LNG sourcing from alternative sources." This sequential demand surge was broad-based across key industrial consumers.

(Source: Economic Times)