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Business / Thu, 11 Jun 2026 CNBC

U.S. becomes India’s top gas supplier, as Iran war cuts it off from the Gulf

US natural gas futures ended lower for a fifth consecutive session, erasing earlier gains as traders weighed plunging oil prices against mixed weather outlooks. The U.S. has emerged as the top supplier of liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to India in May, as shipments from the Gulf countries fell due to traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. India imports 60% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and almost all liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies through the critical waterway, which has been disrupted since the U.S. and Israel first struck Iran on Feb. 28. "Going forward, the India–US energy trade will increasingly focus on gas," Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst at energy intelligence firm Kpler, told CNBC. The U.S., with its "abundant shale resources and expanding export infrastructure," is uniquely positioned to benefit from India's need to diversify gas supplies, he added.

Sabine Pass LNG in Cameron, Louisiana, US, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. US natural gas futures ended lower for a fifth consecutive session, erasing earlier gains as traders weighed plunging oil prices against mixed weather outlooks.

The U.S. has emerged as the top supplier of liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to India in May, as shipments from the Gulf countries fell due to traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

India imports 60% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and almost all liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies through the critical waterway, which has been disrupted since the U.S. and Israel first struck Iran on Feb. 28.

Washington supplied 630,000 tonnes of LPG to India in May, roughly 60% more than the 380,000 tonnes the country received from all the Gulf countries put together, as per data from Kpler.

The U.S exported 900,000 tonnes of LNG to India in May, which accounted for more than 40% of India's total requirement and was a threefold increase on April, Kpler said.

Experts said that the conflict in the Middle East boosted U.S. exports, but added that the rise was also driven by Washington's broader push to sell India more American energy. Even before the start of the war, the two countries were deepening their energy trade.

"Going forward, the India–US energy trade will increasingly focus on gas," Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst at energy intelligence firm Kpler, told CNBC.

The U.S., with its "abundant shale resources and expanding export infrastructure," is uniquely positioned to benefit from India's need to diversify gas supplies, he added.

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