What Happened
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion Indians remains the government's "supreme priority."
- The MEA emphasised that India is diversifying its energy sourcing "in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics."
- The statement came amid global scrutiny of India's energy import patterns, particularly its crude oil purchases from Russia, following the India-US trade understanding.
- Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal declined to comment on India's Russian oil imports in the context of the US trade arrangement.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, reiterated that India is "very much wedded to strategic autonomy" on energy choices and that decisions are guided by cost, risk, and availability — not political pressure.
Static Topic Bridges
India's Energy Import Dependency
India is the world's third-largest energy consumer (behind the United States and China) and the third-largest crude oil importer. The country imports over 85% of its crude oil requirements due to limited domestic reserves. India's crude oil import bill stood at approximately $137 billion in FY2024-25. The country's energy mix is shifting, with non-fossil energy rising from 32% to 45% of total installed capacity between 2014 and 2024. India has set a target of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and aims to source 50% of electricity from renewables.
- Top crude oil suppliers (FY2024-25): Russia (~36%), Iraq (~17%), Saudi Arabia (~11%)
- Russia's share surged from ~2% (pre-2022) to 36% following discounted crude purchases after the Ukraine conflict
- In FY2025-26, imports from Russia and Saudi Arabia declined while those from the US, Brazil, Libya, and Nigeria rose
- India's oil demand is projected to grow by 6% in 2025, the fastest among major economies
Connection to this news: The MEA statement signals India's intent to rebalance energy imports across multiple suppliers while resisting pressure to abruptly cut any single source, reflecting the tension between strategic autonomy and alliance management.
Strategic Autonomy in Indian Foreign Policy
Strategic autonomy is a foundational principle of India's foreign policy, evolved from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) of the Cold War era. It emphasises independent decision-making based on national interest rather than alignment with any bloc. In the current multipolar world, India applies this by engaging simultaneously with the US (Quad, iCET), Russia (energy, defence), and the EU (FTA), without ceding decision-making sovereignty to any partner.
- India is not a member of any formal military alliance
- India participates in multiple multilateral groupings: Quad, BRICS, SCO, G20
- Defence imports diversified from ~70% Russian-origin (2010s) to increasing US, French, and Israeli procurement
- Energy is a key domain where strategic autonomy faces real-world tests: crude oil from Russia, LNG from the US and Qatar, renewable technology from China
Connection to this news: Jaishankar's Munich statement and the MEA's framing of energy security as a "supreme priority" reflect India's effort to assert strategic autonomy specifically in the energy domain, at a time when the US trade deal has raised questions about India's willingness to curtail Russian oil purchases.
India's Energy Security Policy
India's energy security strategy operates on four pillars: diversification of sources, expansion of domestic production, transition to renewables, and building strategic reserves. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) maintains emergency reserves at three locations — Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, and Padur — with a total capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes (about 9.5 days of import cover). The government has also promoted ethanol blending (currently 15%, targeting 20% by 2025-26) and green hydrogen to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
- Strategic petroleum reserve capacity: 5.33 MMT across 3 facilities
- National Green Hydrogen Mission launched in 2023 with ₹19,744 crore outlay
- Ethanol blending in petrol reached 15% by 2024
- India became an IEA Association Country in 2017
- Budget 2026-27 included provisions for carbon capture and grid stability
Connection to this news: The MEA's diversification statement is a direct application of India's energy security policy, which treats supply diversification as the primary hedge against geopolitical disruption in any single supplier relationship.
Key Facts & Data
- India imports over 85% of its crude oil requirements
- Crude oil import bill: ~$137 billion in FY2024-25
- India is the world's third-largest energy consumer and third-largest crude oil importer
- Russia accounted for ~36% of crude oil imports in FY2024-25, up from ~2% before 2022
- US crude oil exports to India rose to 8.1% in FY2025-26
- India targets 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030
- Strategic petroleum reserves: 5.33 MMT (approximately 9.5 days of import cover)
- Non-fossil fuel share in installed power capacity: 45% (2024)