Qatar LNG Imports to India Surge to 8-Month High

India’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Qatar have rebounded sharply in October after remaining at subdued levels for seven months amid the West Asia conflict and disruption to vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz. The recovery has pushed Qatar back among India’s leading LNG suppliers, highlighting renewed efforts to move energy cargoes through a strategically important but high-risk maritime corridor.

India received approximately 0.44 million tonnes (mt) of Qatari LNG by October 25, according to provisional data from commodity market analytics firm Kpler. The volume was nearly 370% higher than the amount imported during the whole of September, marking the highest monthly level of Qatari LNG deliveries to India since the conflict began.

Qatar was the second-largest LNG supplier to India during October 1-25, behind the United States. The recovery came after imports from the Gulf state had averaged only around 0.07 mt per month between March and September, a fraction of the monthly average of 0.95 mt recorded in 2025.

Industry sources and analysts attribute the recovery to Qatar’s increased willingness to navigate the risks associated with the Strait of Hormuz. Reported tactics include switching off LNG tankers’ transponders to make vessels harder to track and using ship-to-ship transfers to move cargoes beyond the strait.

The renewed deliveries could ease some of the pressure on Indian importers, which have been seeking replacement cargoes from alternative suppliers amid strong domestic demand and elevated LNG prices. However, the recovery also highlights how dependent Gulf energy exports remain on maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatari LNG supplies recover after seven months of disruption

Qatar has historically been one of India’s most important LNG suppliers. However, disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz caused imports from the Gulf state to fall sharply from March, following the outbreak of the West Asia conflict in late February.

Qatar depends on the Strait of Hormuz to export its LNG, leaving shipments exposed when vessel movements through the waterway become difficult or risky. The disruption sharply reduced the volume of Qatari gas reaching India during the months that followed.

Between March and September, India’s monthly LNG imports from Qatar averaged approximately 0.07 mt. That was substantially below the 2025 monthly average of 0.95 mt, demonstrating the scale of the supply disruption.

The October recovery has been striking in comparison. Kpler’s provisional data showed that 0.44 mt of Qatari LNG had reached India by October 25. The volume was nearly 370% higher than the total imported from Qatar during September.

The increase also restored Qatar’s position as a major supplier in India’s LNG import mix. During the first 25 days of October, Qatar ranked second behind the United States, which supplied a larger volume of LNG.

The figures cover deliveries recorded by October 25 and are provisional. They indicate a strong recovery in shipments during October but do not, by themselves, establish whether the improvement will continue over subsequent months.

What are Hormuz ‘dark transits’?

Industry insiders and experts cited in the report say Qatar has become more aggressive in using tactics intended to help LNG tankers navigate the Strait of Hormuz despite the security risks associated with the conflict.

One reported method involves switching off a vessel’s transponder, effectively making it less visible through the tracking systems normally used to monitor commercial shipping. Such movements are often described as going “dark”.

Transponders transmit information that helps identify and track ships. When a vessel stops transmitting this information, its movement can become harder to monitor through conventional vessel-tracking systems. However, switching off a transponder does not make a ship physically invisible, and its movement may still be detected through other means.

According to the industry accounts cited in the supplied report, Qatar is using such tactics to take advantage of periods when maritime security assessments suggest that a transit may be possible.

The reported approach follows similar tactics attributed to the United Arab Emirates, which has been using comparable methods to move LNG through the strait for several months.

These reported practices reflect the difficult choices facing energy exporters whose infrastructure and shipping routes depend on a narrow maritime passage. When alternative export routes are unavailable, producers may have fewer options for moving cargoes to international markets.

However, the use of transponder shutdowns does not eliminate the risks associated with a transit. It also makes it more difficult for outside observers to establish a vessel’s precise movements using conventional tracking data alone.

Ship-to-ship transfers emerge as another option

Alongside reported dark transits, industry sources indicate that Qatar is also using ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to move LNG cargoes beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

In a ship-to-ship transfer, cargo is moved from one vessel to another at sea rather than being transported directly from the original loading point to the final destination on a single tanker.

The arrangement can involve a shuttle tanker carrying cargo through a particular section of a route before transferring it to another vessel waiting in comparatively safer waters. In the context of the Strait of Hormuz, the supplier may assume the risk of moving the cargo through the strait, while a second tanker takes responsibility for transporting it onwards.

STS transfers have already become an important method for Gulf producers seeking to move crude oil out of the Persian Gulf. They can allow cargoes to be transferred between vessels without requiring the final transport ship to undertake the entire high-risk journey.

However, LNG transfers are considerably more complicated than crude oil transfers. LNG is natural gas cooled to an extremely low temperature so that it can be transported in liquid form. Moving it between vessels requires specialised equipment and careful handling.

The process relies on cryogenic systems and suitable transfer hoses designed to handle LNG at very low temperatures. The technical requirements make LNG ship-to-ship transfers more demanding than transferring conventional liquid cargoes such as crude oil.

Despite these challenges, the supplied report indicates that Qatar may be using STS transfers because it has no alternative route for evacuating its LNG exports. The approach could be particularly relevant ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter, when global demand for natural gas typically rises.

Why Qatar is moving LNG despite the risks

Qatar’s reported efforts to move cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz come as the global gas market prepares for higher seasonal demand. The approaching Northern Hemisphere winter increases the importance of maintaining access to LNG supplies for countries that rely on imported natural gas.

For Qatar, the ability to export cargoes is essential because the country depends on the strait to move its LNG to international buyers. When maritime disruption limits shipping, export volumes can be affected even if overseas customers continue to require the fuel.

The reported use of dark transits and ship-to-ship transfers suggests that Qatar is seeking opportunities to resume deliveries despite the risks. These tactics could help explain why shipments to India increased sharply in October after remaining subdued for much of the preceding seven-month period.

However, the recovery does not necessarily mean that the disruption has ended. The volume of cargoes that can be moved depends on shipping conditions, security assessments and the ability of vessels to complete their journeys.

For importers, this uncertainty complicates supply planning. Buyers must balance the availability and price of cargoes against the possibility that deliveries from a particular supplier could be disrupted again.

Kpler says higher Qatari supplies could ease pressure on India

The recovery in Qatari deliveries could help India reduce its reliance on replacement cargoes from other suppliers, particularly as domestic demand for natural gas remains firm.

Sonal Ranjan, LNG and Natural Gas Analyst at Kpler, said Qatari deliveries to India had reached their highest monthly level since the conflict began.

“Qatari LNG deliveries to India are at their highest monthly level since the conflict began… For India, a sustained recovery in Qatari supply could ease the pressure to source replacement cargoes from other suppliers, particularly as underlying import requirements remain firm despite elevated prices,” Ranjan said.

The assessment highlights the importance of the October recovery for Indian importers. When deliveries from a major supplier decline, buyers may need to secure cargoes elsewhere to maintain supplies to industries and consumers.

Replacing disrupted volumes can be challenging when several countries are competing for available LNG. Strong demand in India has led importers to compete aggressively for spot-market cargoes, even at prices described in the report as super-normal.

A sustained recovery in Qatari shipments could therefore provide additional flexibility for Indian buyers. However, the extent of any relief will depend on whether the higher delivery volumes continue and how global LNG prices evolve.

India looks beyond Hormuz-dependent LNG supplies

The West Asia crisis has pushed India to secure LNG cargoes from suppliers that do not depend on the Strait of Hormuz. This shift reflects the risks of relying heavily on a single maritime route for a significant share of imported energy.

Before the conflict began in late February, approximately 60% of India’s LNG imports came through the Strait of Hormuz, primarily from Qatar and also from the United Arab Emirates.

Disruption to shipping through the strait therefore affected an important part of India’s gas supply chain. Importers have had to look for alternative sources while continuing to meet demand from several sectors of the economy.

According to the supplied report, the Indian government has prioritised securing supplies over price considerations amid demand from city gas distribution, fertiliser production, power generation and ceramics manufacturing.

These sectors use natural gas in different ways, making reliable access to the fuel important for a range of economic activities. City gas distribution supplies gas to households, vehicles and businesses in connected networks, while fertiliser producers use natural gas as a key feedstock. Power producers and ceramics manufacturers also rely on gas for their operations.

India’s dependence on imported LNG makes the availability of alternative suppliers especially important during periods of maritime disruption. Cargoes from countries with export routes that do not depend on the Strait of Hormuz can help diversify the supply mix.

However, sourcing cargoes from alternative markets can expose importers to international competition and higher prices. The ability to replace disrupted supplies therefore depends not only on the availability of LNG but also on whether cargoes can be secured at commercially manageable costs.

United States becomes India’s largest LNG supplier in October

The United States was India’s largest LNG supplier during October 1-25, according to provisional Kpler data. India imported 0.56 mt of American LNG during the period, an increase of 61.4% compared with the volumes delivered during the whole of September.

The United States reclaimed the top position after Oman had ranked first among India’s LNG suppliers in September.

Qatar ranked second, supplying 0.44 mt by October 25. The United Arab Emirates was third, with deliveries of 0.38 mt during the first 25 days of the month, compared with 0.31 mt during the whole of September.

Oman ranked fourth, supplying 0.30 mt during October 1-25. Its deliveries had totalled 0.58 mt in September, meaning the volume recorded during the first 25 days of October was lower than the previous month’s full-month total.

Nigeria, which was India’s second-largest LNG supplier in September, ranked fifth during the first 25 days of October. It supplied 0.28 mt, down 21.5% from the previous month’s volume.

The figures show how the composition of India’s LNG supply changed during October. Higher deliveries from the United States and Qatar coincided with lower volumes from Oman and Nigeria compared with their respective September totals.

Because the October figures cover only the first 25 days of the month, they are not directly comparable with full-month totals without accounting for the difference in reporting periods. The data nevertheless provide an indication of the changing supply mix during the month.

India’s total LNG imports rise in October

India imported a total of 2.51 mt of LNG between October 1 and October 25, according to Kpler’s provisional data. This was 12.2% higher than the volume imported during all of September and 9.8% higher year on year.

The increase indicates that India’s LNG imports continued to expand despite elevated prices associated with the West Asia crisis.

The recovery in total imports also reflects the role of suppliers outside Qatar in maintaining deliveries. The United States, the UAE, Oman and Nigeria all contributed to India’s import mix during the reporting period, although their individual volumes varied.

The supplied report expects the October trends to continue for the remainder of the month, while noting that overall import volumes could finish slightly higher. This remains an expectation based on the provisional figures rather than a confirmed full-month outcome.

India’s demand for LNG has remained strong even as the crisis has affected supply routes and raised procurement costs. The country depends on imports to meet approximately half of its natural gas requirements, making international cargo availability an important factor in the domestic gas market.

India’s LNG imports remain higher year on year

India’s LNG imports fell in March and April, the first two months of the West Asia conflict, but subsequently trended higher on a year-on-year basis.

During the May-September period, India imported 11.87 mt of LNG, an increase of 17.8% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Kpler data.

The increase suggests that import demand remained firm despite the disruption to deliveries from Qatar and other Gulf suppliers. It also shows why Indian buyers have continued to seek cargoes from alternative sources even when prices are elevated.

For India, the challenge is to maintain sufficient supplies while managing the costs and risks associated with international procurement. Higher import volumes can help meet demand, but they may also require buyers to compete more aggressively for available cargoes when global markets are tight.

The October figures indicate that India was able to increase overall LNG imports while receiving substantially more cargoes from Qatar than in previous months. Whether that balance can be sustained will depend on future shipping conditions, supplier availability and global demand.

What the Qatari LNG recovery means for India

The rebound in Qatari LNG deliveries is significant because Qatar has traditionally been one of India’s leading suppliers, but the Strait of Hormuz disruption sharply reduced shipments from March onwards.

The arrival of 0.44 mt by October 25 represents a marked recovery from the low monthly volumes recorded between March and September. It also places Qatar second among India’s LNG suppliers for the first 25 days of October, behind the United States.

Reported tactics such as transponder shutdowns and ship-to-ship transfers appear to be part of Qatar’s effort to move cargoes through the disrupted maritime corridor. However, these methods do not remove the underlying risks associated with shipping through the strait.

For India, a sustained increase in Qatari supplies could reduce the need to source as many replacement cargoes from other markets. That could provide greater flexibility for importers dealing with strong demand and elevated prices.

At the same time, the October recovery highlights the continuing vulnerability of India’s energy supply chain to disruptions along major maritime routes. With around 60% of pre-conflict LNG imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz, diversification remains an important consideration for energy security.

The latest figures show a recovery in shipments, not a definitive end to the supply disruption. India’s ability to maintain adequate LNG imports will continue to depend on a combination of Qatari deliveries, alternative suppliers, shipping conditions and international market prices.