The Electric Cooking Imperative, How India Can Turn Crisis into Opportunity

The West Asia conflict has already had far-reaching consequences. Human suffering in and around the war zone apart, many countries are facing food and energy crises. In India, small businesses and ordinary citizens have started experiencing the downside of the war. A number of restaurants and roadside eateries have shut down, with LPG cylinders being sold at three to five times the rate in the black market. Many migrant labourers and domestic workers are heading back home to their villages, believing their fellow villagers will provide them with food and that there will be no dearth of alternative fuels such as firewood. For many of them, the free cylinders distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) await them, but how long they will last is the issue. Besides, the refilling cost of gas cylinders is not affordable for many. This is not merely a supply disruption; it is a human crisis. And it is a crisis that could have been mitigated, and can still be addressed, by a massive, coordinated push for electric cooking. The framework already exists. The technology is ready. The economics are increasingly favourable. What is needed now is the political will and administrative coordination to scale it.

The Vulnerability of LPG Dependence

Over the last six years, India’s combined LPG and LNG import bill has increased by about 50 per cent, accounting for around 3 per cent of India’s total import bill in FY25. About 60 per cent of the LPG India consumes is imported, and about 90 per cent of this comes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is in the throes of the current geopolitical crisis. The closure of the Strait has choked off a critical artery of global energy trade. Prices have skyrocketed. Supplies have become erratic. The black market has flourished. While the government is trying to increase domestic production by 25 per cent, it appears a tall order. Domestic production cannot be ramped up overnight. New wells take years to develop. Refineries take years to expand. In the meantime, India remains exposed to the whims of global geopolitics.

The human consequences are already visible. Restaurants and roadside eateries—the backbone of India’s informal food economy—have shut down. Migrant workers, unable to afford black market LPG or unwilling to spend their meagre savings on fuel, are heading back to their villages. This reverse migration is not just a humanitarian tragedy; it is an economic shock. When workers leave cities, production slows, services are disrupted, and demand contracts. The cycle of decline feeds on itself.

The Potential of Electric Cooking: Cleaner, Safer, Cheaper

The government has been pushing for electric-based cooking since the past few years through the Go Electric campaign and the National Efficient Cooking Programme. However, the uptake has been low, with only 5 per cent of Indian households opting for e-cooking. The reasons are not mysterious: high upfront costs (induction cooktops, efficient rice cookers, and pressure cookers are more expensive than LPG stoves); lack of awareness (many households do not know that e-cooking is cheaper over the long term); unreliable electricity supply (power cuts remain common in many parts of India); and the absence of a robust ecosystem (repair services, spare parts, financing options).

Now is the opportune time to endorse and champion the shift. E-cooking is a cleaner, safer, and more affordable choice that could be leveraged from the energy basket. Cleaner because it produces no indoor air pollution (LPG and biomass burning are major sources of respiratory illness, particularly among women and children). Safer because there is no risk of cylinder explosions or gas leaks. More affordable because electricity, especially from renewable sources, is becoming cheaper than LPG. The framework is already there, and all that is now required is synchronisation of efforts to create a robust ecosystem for market penetration and wider adoption.

Building Synergies: Leveraging Existing Government Schemes

The article proposes a smart, cost-effective way to promote e-cooking: integrate it into existing government schemes rather than creating new, standalone programmes. Several large-scale schemes offer ready-made platforms.

PM Surya Ghar (Rooftop Solar Scheme): Launched in February 2024, this scheme aims to install rooftop solar in one crore households. It provides subsidies covering up to 40 per cent of the cost of solar panels, enabling households to generate their own electricity for e-cooking needs. Currently, there is high inter-state disparity in the adoption of the scheme. Also, while registration rates are high, conversion figures are low. This needs to be addressed. More urban and rural households need to be roped into the scheme. If a household has rooftop solar, the marginal cost of e-cooking is essentially zero—the sun provides free fuel.

PM POSHAN Yojana (School Meal Programme): This is the world’s largest school feeding programme, serving hot cooked meals to approximately 11.8 crore children in around 11.2 lakh schools. Currently, most of these meals are cooked using LPG or, in some cases, firewood. Converting these kitchens to electric cooking would have a massive impact. It would reduce the government’s LPG subsidy bill. It would protect the programme from future price shocks. It would demonstrate e-cooking at scale, normalising it for millions of families. Rooftop solar installation must be integrated into the PM POSHAN Yojana. A school with rooftop solar can cook its mid-day meal for free, forever.

PM Awas Yojana (Housing Scheme): This scheme aims to provide ‘Housing for All’. Over 2.82 crore rural houses have been completed under PMAY-Gramin, and around 95.51 lakh urban houses under PMAY-Urban. PMAY-Urban 2.0 was launched recently, targeting an additional one crore beneficiaries, while the rural programme aims for 4.95 crore houses by 2029. If this scheme is linked to the ongoing PM Surya Ghar scheme, it will create a holistic mechanism for renewable energy integration into houses at subsidised rates. A new house built under PMAY could be equipped with rooftop solar and an induction cooktop as standard. The cost could be bundled into the housing subsidy. The household would then have zero recurring fuel cost.

These schemes hold huge potential in helping the country achieve the revised NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) target of 60 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035. But that is a secondary benefit. The primary benefit is protecting vulnerable households from energy price shocks.

Addressing the Electricity Supply Challenge

One of the most common objections to e-cooking is the unreliability of electricity supply. Power cuts remain common in many parts of India, particularly in rural areas and during peak summer months. If a household invests in an induction cooktop but cannot use it when the power is out, they will still need a backup LPG stove. This undermines the economic case for switching.

The solution is twofold. First, improve grid reliability. This is a long-term project, but progress is being made. The government’s Saubhagya scheme has connected millions of households to the grid. The UDAY scheme has improved the financial health of distribution companies. Power cuts are less frequent than they were a decade ago. Second, and more importantly, promote battery-supported and solar hybrid systems. A household with rooftop solar and a small battery can cook even when the grid is down. The battery stores excess solar energy generated during the day and releases it when needed. The upfront cost is higher, but the long-term savings are substantial.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) estimates that the adoption of e-cooking could lead to an increase in peak power demand by 27 GW. This is not a trivial amount. But it is manageable. Peak demand typically occurs in the evening, when people return from work and start cooking. This coincides with the period when solar generation is declining. Battery-supported and solar hybrid systems can make e-cooking feasible and ensure grid stability. The battery discharges in the evening, covering the cooking load. It recharges the next morning from solar.

The Path Ahead: Incentives, Awareness, and Ecosystem Building

The article outlines a clear path forward. Convergence of existing government schemes would be a smarter way forward in nudging people towards adopting a cleaner, greener lifestyle, besides contributing to helping India achieve its NDC targets. Focus on distributed renewable energy (DRE) will ensure that there is energy access, reaching out to the most vulnerable.

But convergence alone is not enough. A strong policy push and incentives can help deal with high upfront cost, facilitating wider adoption. The government should consider:

Subsidies for e-cooking appliances: Just as it subsidises LPG cylinders, the government could subsidise induction cooktops, rice cookers, and electric pressure cookers for low-income households. The subsidy could be delivered through the same mechanism as the PMUY (direct benefit transfer).
Financing options: For households that do not qualify for subsidies, the government could facilitate low-interest loans for e-cooking appliances through banks and post offices. The loan could be structured so that the monthly savings on LPG cover the monthly repayment.
Awareness campaigns: Many households are unaware that e-cooking is cheaper, cleaner, and safer. The government should launch a nationwide awareness campaign, using television, radio, social media, and street theatre. The campaign should emphasise the cost savings: a family that switches to e-cooking can save thousands of rupees per year.
Quality standards and warranties: The market for e-cooking appliances is flooded with cheap, low-quality products. These products break down quickly, frustrating users and damaging the reputation of e-cooking. The government should enforce quality standards and require warranties. It should also support the development of repair and maintenance networks.
Targeted programmes for vulnerable groups: Migrant workers, domestic workers, and informal sector households are the most vulnerable to LPG price shocks. The government should design targeted programmes to help these groups switch to e-cooking. This could include free or subsidised appliances for the poorest households, and portable induction cooktops for migrants who move frequently.

Conclusion: Turning Crisis into Opportunity

The West Asia conflict is a tragedy. But it is also an opportunity. It has exposed the vulnerability of India’s LPG dependence. It has demonstrated that relying on imported fossil fuels, transported through a single maritime chokepoint, is a recipe for economic and human disaster.

India can continue on this path, accepting periodic price shocks, supply disruptions, and black market exploitation. Or it can seize the moment to accelerate the transition to electric cooking. The technology exists. The economic case is strong. The policy framework is already in place. What is needed is the will to integrate, to coordinate, and to scale.

The goal is not to eliminate LPG overnight. LPG will remain important for many years, particularly for households that cannot access reliable electricity. But the goal should be to reduce dependence, to diversify options, and to build resilience. Every household that switches to e-cooking is a household that is protected from the next global energy crisis. Every school that installs rooftop solar and cooks with electricity is a school that can continue feeding children even when LPG prices spike. Every new house built under PMAY with integrated solar and e-cooking is a house that will never again face a black market cylinder.

The framework is already there. The crisis has created the urgency. The only missing ingredient is action.

Q&A: Electric Cooking as a Solution to India’s LPG Vulnerability

Q1: How has the West Asia conflict affected LPG availability and affordability in India?

A1: The West Asia conflict has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 90 per cent of India’s imported LPG transits. This has caused severe supply disruptions. LPG cylinders are now being sold at three to five times the rate in the black market. Restaurants and roadside eateries have shut down. Migrant labourers and domestic workers are heading back to their villages because they cannot afford refills. The article notes that India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG consumption, and the import bill accounts for around 3 per cent of India’s total import bill in FY25—a figure that has increased by about 50 per cent over six years.

Q2: What is the current adoption rate of electric cooking in India, and what are the main barriers to wider adoption?

A2: Only 5 per cent of Indian households currently opt for e-cooking. The main barriers include:

High upfront costs: Induction cooktops, efficient rice cookers, and electric pressure cookers are more expensive than LPG stoves.
Lack of awareness: Many households do not know that e-cooking is cheaper over the long term.
Unreliable electricity supply: Power cuts remain common in many parts of India, particularly in rural areas.
Absence of a robust ecosystem: Limited repair services, spare parts availability, and financing options.
The article argues that these barriers can be overcome through policy interventions, subsidies, financing options, and integration with existing government schemes.

Q3: How can existing government schemes be leveraged to promote electric cooking?

A3: The article identifies three major schemes that can be integrated:

PM Surya Ghar (Rooftop Solar Scheme): Aims to install rooftop solar in one crore households with subsidies covering up to 40 per cent of costs. Households with rooftop solar can cook for essentially zero marginal cost.
PM POSHAN Yojana (School Meal Programme): The world’s largest school feeding programme (11.8 crore children, 11.2 lakh schools). Converting school kitchens to electric cooking and installing rooftop solar would reduce LPG subsidy bills, protect the programme from price shocks, and normalise e-cooking.
PM Awas Yojana (Housing Scheme): Over 2.82 crore rural and 95.51 lakh urban houses completed, with additional targets of 4.95 crore rural houses by 2029 and 1 crore urban houses under PMAY-U 2.0. New houses built under PMAY could be equipped with rooftop solar and induction cooktops as standard, with costs bundled into housing subsidies.

Q4: What is the projected increase in peak power demand from e-cooking, and how can it be managed?

A4: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) estimates that the adoption of e-cooking could lead to an increase in peak power demand by 27 GW. Peak demand typically occurs in the evening when people return from work and start cooking, coinciding with declining solar generation. The solution is battery-supported and solar hybrid systems. A household with rooftop solar and a small battery can store excess solar energy generated during the day and discharge it in the evening for cooking. This ensures grid stability while making e-cooking feasible even during power cuts. The article notes that while 27 GW is not trivial, it is manageable with appropriate investment in distributed renewable energy and storage.

Q5: What specific policy measures does the article recommend to accelerate the adoption of electric cooking?

A5: The article recommends five specific measures:

Subsidies for e-cooking appliances: Provide subsidies for induction cooktops, rice cookers, and electric pressure cookers for low-income households, delivered through the same DBT mechanism as PMUY.
Financing options: Facilitate low-interest loans for e-cooking appliances through banks and post offices, structured so that monthly LPG savings cover monthly repayments.
Awareness campaigns: Launch nationwide campaigns using TV, radio, social media, and street theatre to educate households about the cost savings, health benefits, and safety of e-cooking.
Quality standards and warranties: Enforce quality standards for e-cooking appliances, require warranties, and support repair and maintenance networks to build consumer confidence.
Targeted programmes for vulnerable groups: Design specific programmes for migrant workers, domestic workers, and informal sector households, including free or subsidised portable induction cooktops for mobile populations.
The article concludes that the framework is already there; the crisis has created urgency; the only missing ingredient is action. The West Asia conflict is a tragedy, but it is also an opportunity to accelerate the transition to electric cooking and build resilience against future global energy shocks.

The Electric Cooking Imperative, How India Can Turn Crisis into Opportunity