Urban households mostly use LPG, while rural households rely on firewood, too

Having risen steadily over time, the share of Indian households who use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as their primary source of fuel for cooking is now at 60% as of 2024. Another 33% of households still used firewood.This data comes from India's Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys, a series of large, nationally representative household surveys conducted by the National Statistical Office, which ask the head of the household what the primary source of energy used by the household in the 30 days preceding the survey was.

If more than one type of energy is used, the survey enumerator records the primary or principal one on the basis of its extent of use. The most recent such survey was conducted in 2023-24.Cooking fuels used by Indian households include LPG, other natural gases (primarily piped natural gas), firewood, other natural sources (primarily dung cake), and others which include electricity, as well as those who do not have any cooking arrangement.Most firewood usage takes place in rural households, while in urban areas nearly 85% of households now use LPG.

In India, LPG–a mixture of primarily propane and butane gases—is obtained primarily by refining crude oil, and partly by processing natural gas. The share of households using natural gases, including piped natural gas (PNG), remains small, and geographically concentrated.The usage of LPG is growing steadily.

In 2000, fewer than 20% of households used LPG, with the majority reliant on firewood. Towards the late 2010s, the share of households using LPG surpassed those using firewood, and continues to grow.Despite this growth, India is some distance away from some comparable countries like Vietnam, China and Brazil in the adoption of clean cooking fuels.