October 30, 2026: India’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Qatar have rebounded sharply in October after remaining subdued for seven months amid the West Asia conflict, with the Gulf nation emerging as the country’s second-largest supplier, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by commodity market analytics firm Kpler.

India received 0.44 million tonnes (mt) of Qatari LNG between October 1 and October 25, nearly 370% higher than the volumes imported during the whole of September, provisional Kpler data showed.

Qatar has traditionally been India’s largest LNG supplier. However, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the conflict in late February significantly curtailed supplies. Between March and September, India’s monthly LNG imports from Qatar averaged just 0.07 mt, compared with the 2025 monthly average of 0.95 mt.

Qatar adopts alternative shipping strategies

Industry insiders and analysts attribute the recovery partly to Qatar’s increased willingness to navigate the security risks surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, through which the country exports its LNG.

(Source: Business today)