IEW 2026: Ministerial Panel Underscores Energy Security, Investment Continuity and Global Cooperation Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

At India Energy Week (IEW) 2026, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri underlined India’s growing energy resilience and stressed the need for realistic transition pathways, sustained investments and stronger international cooperation to ensure affordable and secure energy in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Speaking at a high-level Ministerial Panel titled “Charting a Course through Uncertainty: Securing Affordable, Accessible and Sustainable Energy in a Turbulent World,” Puri said energy availability remains the lifeline of India’s fast-growing economy and a core pillar of national resilience.

He highlighted that despite recent geopolitical disruptions and volatile global markets, India successfully avoided energy shortages by diversifying supply sources, expanding supplier geographies and undertaking wide-ranging reforms across the energy value chain.

Puri reiterated India’s ambition to significantly increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix, calling for greater global collaboration and investment to support this transition. He emphasised that rising energy demand in emerging economies like India must be met through energy addition rather than abrupt replacement, noting that stable and predictable markets are in the shared interest of both producers and consumers.

“The global energy transition must be practical and inclusive,” the Minister said, adding that each country requires its own pathway based on development priorities, affordability and energy security.

He also stressed that India’s approach balances sustainability with economic growth, ensuring that climate goals are pursued without compromising access to reliable and affordable energy for its population.

The Minister’s remarks reflected India’s broader strategy of pursuing energy independence through diversification, infrastructure expansion, policy reforms and international partnerships, while simultaneously accelerating clean energy deployment.

The panel discussion reinforced that continued investments across oil, gas, LNG, power grids, critical minerals and emerging technologies will be vital to keeping the energy transition resilient and equitable—especially for rapidly developing economies such as India.