Leadership Panel Positions Natural Gas as Key Bridge Fuel for Low-Carbon Transition
Affordability, Infrastructure Expansion and Energy Addition Central to Pragmatic Global Energy Shift
Global energy leaders at India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 underscored the critical role of natural gas and LNG in reducing emissions while ensuring energy security and economic growth, amid rising geopolitical uncertainties.
Speaking at the Leadership Panel on “Repositioning Natural Gas and Energy Transformation: Pragmatic Bridging Resource to Pivotal Destination Fuel,” industry heads including IOC Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney, GAIL CMD Sandeep Kumar Gupta, ADNOC Gas CEO Fatema Al Nuaimi and Excelerate Energy CEO Steven Kobos highlighted that global gas demand is projected to rise 30–35% by 2050, making coal-to-gas switching the most viable near-term decarbonisation pathway.
From India’s perspective, panelists pointed to the rapidly expanding gas ecosystem backed by domestic production, diversified LNG imports, and investments in pipelines, terminals and city gas distribution. Natural gas was identified as vital for fertilisers, transport and urban energy access.
The panel echoed the Union Petroleum Minister’s view that the transition must focus on energy addition, not abrupt replacement, with properly abated gas-based power complementing renewables to ensure grid stability.
Affordability emerged as a key challenge, with speakers calling for policy stability, regulatory support, long-term financing, reduced infrastructure costs and deeper global gas markets. Expansion of LNG import capacity, FSRUs, pipelines and last-mile connectivity was also stressed to translate supply into accessible energy.
