1 day ago
India Must Cut Energy Import Dependence, PMO Official Says
Shaktikanta Das said India buys too much of its oil and gas from other countries.
He said India should produce more energy at home.
A government program called Samudra Manthan is intended to increase offshore oil and gas exploration.
India gets more than 88% of its crude oil from imports.
Russia supplies nearly half of those imports.
This dependence has become more difficult because of conflict and possible new US sanctions.
Das also discussed India’s growing space industry and plans to expand nuclear power.
He said countries in the Global South need to work together on energy, jobs, food, trade, and economic growth.
He warned that creating enough jobs for young people will be a major challenge.
Shaktikanta Das said India must reduce its heavy dependence on imported oil and gas.
India imports more than 88% of its crude oil, with Russia supplying nearly half of those imports.
The Samudra Manthan scheme has an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore through 2030-31 to expand offshore exploration and domestic production.
Das spoke amid Middle East conflict-related volatility, with India’s crude oil basket reaching $120.8 per barrel on Monday.
He also highlighted India’s space and nuclear ambitions and urged greater cooperation among Global South countries.
- Who
- Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-2 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressed the issue.
- What
- Das called for India to reduce its dependence on imported energy and discussed broader development priorities.
- Where
- He spoke at the launch of the India and Emerging Economic Order Forum in New Delhi.
- When
- Das made the comments on Tuesday; they came after a US sanctions law was signed earlier this month.
- Why
- India is highly dependent on imported oil and gas, while energy prices and supply conditions remain volatile amid conflict in West Asia and possible tariff or sanctions pressure.
Key facts
- Crude import dependence
- India imports more than 88% of its crude oil requirements.
- Russian supply
- Russia supplies nearly half of India’s crude oil imports.
- Samudra Manthan funding
- The scheme’s first phase has an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore through 2030-31.
- Crude oil price
- India’s crude oil basket was priced at $120.8 per barrel on Monday.
- Domestic fuel losses
- Public-sector oil marketing companies were facing daily losses of more than Rs 500 crore on retail fuel sales.
- Nuclear target
- India’s Nuclear Energy Mission aims for 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
- Net-zero goal
- India aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
Quotes
Shaktikanta Das
Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
“A record 1.2 billion young people in the emerging market and developing economies are set to reach the working age over the next decade.”
indianexpress.com
“we have to reduce this import independence”
indianexpress.com









