Iran War Catapults Asia to the Frontline of a Global Fuel Crisis

From metal furnaces in western India to rice paddies in Southeast Asia, billions of people are dealing with gas outages, drawing up “crisis menus” and preparing for fuel rationing at the pump. As the war in the Persian Gulf enters its third week, Asia is caught in an energy emergency — a regional crunch that is rapidly turning into a global one as disruption widens and prices spike.

In Coimbatore, a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, it should have been a weekend of celebration. March 15 is an auspicious date in the Hindu calendar, and the city’s wedding venues were booked ...