Energy sovereignty: India's strategy for resilient and indigenous energy future
India, heavily reliant on crude oil and natural gas imports, faces significant energy security risks amidst global instability. The article highlights historical energy shocks and proposes a doctrine of energy sovereignty anchored in domestic capacity, diversified technology, and resilient systems. Five foundational pillars are outlined: coal gasification for indigenous energy, biofuels for rural empowerment and national security, nuclear power as a zero-carbon baseload, green hydrogen for self-reliance, and pumped hydro storage for grid balancing. This strategy aims to build an uninterrupted, affordable, and indigenous energy future, reducing vulnerability to geopolitical shifts and external dependencies.
Key Points
- India's high dependence on imported crude oil and natural gas poses a significant national risk.
- Global energy security has been reshaped by five major historical shocks, emphasizing the need for resilience.
- India must adopt an energy sovereignty doctrine based on domestic capacity, diversified technology, and resilient systems.
- Five foundational pillars for energy sovereignty include coal gasification, biofuels, nuclear energy, green hydrogen, and pumped hydro storage.
- The strategy aims to ensure uninterrupted, affordable, and indigenous energy, reducing vulnerability to external geopolitical factors.
Exam Facts
- India imports over 85% of its crude oil and more than 50% of its natural gas.
- Russia accounts for roughly 35%-40% of India's total crude imports in 2024-25.
- India has over 150 billion tonnes of coal reserves.
- India's target for green hydrogen is five million metric tonnes a year by 2030.
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