E-cooking push hits cost wall at India's 6-7M restaurants; full induction conversion runs Rs 5 lakh+

NRAI flags affordability crunch as 80-90% of Indian eateries remain LPG-dependent. Induction units cost Rs 2,000-4,000 and setups Rs 4,000-10,000, but full kitchen conversion crosses Rs 5 lakh. A 25% migration could add 5-10 GW to grid load against IEEFA's 13-27 GW FY27 demand outlook.

— Filed Mon, 1 Jun, 2026, 01:42 IST · Source Financial Express · BrandWagon · Updated

E-cooking adoption faces hurdles in India amid LPG concerns. Restaurants partially shifting slow-cook dishes to induction; full conversion costs Rs 5 lakh+. NRAI flags small eatery affordability challenge; potential 5-10 GW additional grid load if 25% of restaurants migrate.

Why this matters

NRAI's cost flag highlights a structural barrier to India's e-cooking transition, with affordability gating any meaningful shift from LPG in the commercial F&B segment.

Retail-company signals steady at 1,491 over 90 days, with cost-pressure narratives recurring.