Telecom tower companies have raised concerns over the stoppage of LPG supplies, warning that the move could affect the continuity of mobile and internet services across the country.
The digital infrastructure industry body Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) said LPG supplies to telecom tower manufacturing units have been halted by oil firms following a government directive to prioritise fuel supply exclusively for domestic LPG consumers.
The industry has warned that the fuel disruption, amid current geopolitical developments, could impact the telecom infrastructure supply chain and may affect network expansion and connectivity services.
DIPA said it has written to Telecom Secretary Amit Agarwal seeking urgent intervention to address the issue.
“LPG supplies to telecom tower manufacturing companies from Oil Marketing Companies have been discontinued with effect from 05 March 2026, following the Order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas directing that LPG procured by public sector OMCs be supplied solely to domestic LPG consumers,” the association said in response to a query.
According to the industry body, the suspension of LPG supply has created a serious operational challenge for tower manufacturing units because galvanisation processes used in tower production largely depend on LPG or LNG-fired systems.
“To prevent damage to galvanization plants and maintain zinc in molten form, some manufacturing partners have shifted to low-flame operations. However, if the disruption continues, plants may be forced to remove molten zinc and shut down operations entirely. Restarting these facilities requires significant time, which could lead to prolonged disruption in tower manufacturing,” DIPA said.
The association, whose members include Indus Towers, Ascend Telecom Infrastructure, Vodafone Idea and Gentari India, warned that continued disruption in LPG or LNG supply could delay ongoing and planned telecom tower deployments.
“This could affect network expansion and efforts to strengthen telecom connectivity, particularly in uncovered and capacity-constrained areas,” DIPA said.
DIPA has requested the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to take up the issue with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas so that LPG and LNG supplies to telecom tower manufacturing units can be exempted from the 05 March 2026 order and restored at the earliest.
The industry body also highlighted the reliance of mobile towers on diesel generator sets during grid outages, raising concerns over fuel availability.
“Telecom towers form the backbone of India’s telecom networks and digital public infrastructure, and any disruption in fuel availability could affect network uptime and the continuity of essential digital services,” it said.
DIPA added that uninterrupted telecom connectivity is essential for voice and data services, 5G networks, national security operations, emergency and disaster response systems, digital governance platforms, financial transactions, healthcare and telemedicine, and other mission-critical services.
The association has also urged the Department of Telecommunications to coordinate with the Ministry of Power and advise state utilities and DISCOMs to ensure priority electricity supply for telecom infrastructure and mobile tower sites across the country.
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