"Garment factories on brink in India amid gas crisis", 21 March 2026

...Surat’s vast network of garment factories is on the verge of shutdown due to an acute shortage of LPG gas, triggered by conflict in West Asia and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.

The textile sector in Surat relies heavily on millions of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha. Over the past few days, a sharp shortage of LPG cylinders has left these workers in distress. Unable to cook food, many are going hungry and are now...preparing to return to their home villages.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the labour shortage has already forced many factories to suspend production for one or two days a week, while several small and medium-sized units have shut down completely. Textile traders warn that if the exodus continues, India’s supply chain in the global fabric market could collapse...

Many workers say they are leaving the city despite having jobs, simply to survive.

India imports the bulk of its LPG from the Middle East. Due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and instability in the Persian Gulf, LPG supplies have dropped by around 30 per cent...

Experts warn that if this mass departure of workers from Surat continues, both the domestic market and exports will suffer...