Qatar’s Gas Exports to India Rise 6.7% in September Despite 88.5% Annual Drop
Key Facts
India’s imports of Qatari liquefied natural gas rose 6.7% month on month to 0.1 million tonnes in September 2026, but remained 88.5% below their level a year earlier, according to The Indian Express. The figures show a limited improvement in Qatari supplies after a sharp decline, not a return to the previous year’s levels. In the same month, India’s total LNG imports reached 2.24 million tonnes, down 12.7% from August. Year on year, the total was 7% higher than in September 2025. The contrast places the increase in Qatari imports within an Indian market still reshaping its sources, as overall imports contracted from the previous month.
India relies on imports to cover about half of its natural gas needs, and about 60% of its LNG imports passed through the Strait of Hormuz, mainly from Qatar and the UAE, according to an Indian Express report published on October 14. This reliance makes the shipping route a central part of supply security, linking disruption in the strait to tanker traffic and gas availability in one of Asia’s largest markets. September’s data illustrate the sensitivity of this mix: Qatari shipments rose from August but remained far below their level a year earlier. In fiscal year 2024/25, India imported more than 27 million tonnes of LNG, of which 11.2 million tonnes came from Qatar, according to government data cited by Reuters. That volume highlights Doha’s significant role in Indian supplies over a full fiscal year, despite recent changes in shipping flows.
The supplier mix had begun to change before the September data, with EL7 reporting on October 14 that Oman topped the list of LNG suppliers to India during the month, surpassing the United States. Oman’s rise comes amid a redistribution of imports following disruption to supplies passing through Hormuz, while India’s total imports in September fell month on month despite growing year on year. These shifts provide context for the monthly increase in Qatari shipments, but do not erase the 88.5% annual gap in imports from Qatar. India also remains exposed to changes in the sea route because of the large share of its imports that had passed through it. The country relied on other suppliers to offset part of the decline in Qatari supplies, according to the sources’ account of the reshaping of the supply mix.
Activity in the Asian market reflects intensifying competition for cargoes in October. Kpler data cited by Reuters forecast Asia’s LNG imports would reach 23.31 million tonnes during the month, the highest level since July, when they hit 23.38 million tonnes. In China, Kpler forecast imports would reach 5.47 million tonnes in October, up from 5.20 million tonnes in September, making the month China’s third strongest in 2026. The forecasts point to strong regional demand for cargoes as markets head into winter, alongside continued disruption to supply routes. This competition increases the importance of Qatari tankers resuming transit through Hormuz for Asian buyers, including India.
Spot prices remain an indicator of the cost of this competition: LNG for delivery to North Asia reached $29.30 per million British thermal units in the week ended October 16, its highest level since December 2023. The price was nearly three times the $10.40 recorded in late February, before the conflict with Iran began, according to Reuters. Qatar, meanwhile, accounts for about 19% of the global LNG market as the second-largest exporter, according to the same report. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz prevented it from shipping most of its cargoes to buyers in Asia and Europe. Continued passage therefore remains crucial to supply flows into the market, while October forecasts point to higher Asian and Chinese imports than in previous months.