How the war in Iran is impacting students in India

Indian education system is facing an unexpected second-order consequence of the Iran - Israel conflict. Following attacks on its leadership and military, Iran has warned that it will target all ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea corridor - 40 km wide at it’s narrowest point, through which 20% of the global oil and gas shipments pass everyday. Iran has been preparing all its life for this exact moment. It already blew up 2-3 ships, making good on its promise. It has huge implications for India. We import 55% of LPG from 4 countries - Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait. These countries need ships carrying their LPG to pass through the Strait of Hormuz - there is no other way. This has already begun creating LPG shortages across India. The Government is now forced to prioritize domestic supply (for use in homes) versus commercial gas supply. However, commercial gas is not just used in industries or restaurant kitchens, but also used by school and college kitchens to cook daily meals. The effects are already visible - several hostels and paying guest accommodations have started cutting back on rotis, extra paneer and chicken, elite schools like The Shri Ram schoool in Gurgaon have started warning parents they may soon be unable to serve any food. The real concern,however, is the 8 crore students in Government Schools who depend on meals served through the PM Poshan Scheme(erstwhile MidDay Meal Scheme). Many states have already flagged the potential for disruption (here, here, and here). For many children, these meals are the only reliable source of nutrition and any shortages would affect learning directly as a result of falling attendance.

The silver lining to this episode is that Iran has granted concessions to Indian vessels travelling through Hormuz. However, given the fragile supply-chain, the Government should prioritize LPG allocation for institutional kitchens, especially those serving schools and colleges. On a side note - I would recommend everyone just hold off any birthday parties. Disruptions in the gulf logistics also means that Qatar which also produces 20% of the world’s supply of Helium, has stopped shipping it!