India to produce cleaner cooking gas alternative, dimethyl ether

India Mar 14, 2026

With the West Asia conflict shaking up global energy supplies, India is stepping up production of dimethyl ether (DME), a cleaner, methanol-based alternative to LPG.
The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory just launched a pilot DME plant, aiming to keep kitchens running smoothly even if LPG imports take a hit.

DME can be blended into existing LPG systems

DME can be blended into existing LPG systems with only minor tweaks, so it's a pretty practical swap.
According to Ashish Lele, this move helps enhance energy security and gives India more control over its fuel future.
By making more DME at home, India hopes to rely less on imported gas and improve the reliability of cooking fuel supplies, even when the world gets unpredictable.