What Happened
- India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar participated in the AZEC-Plus (Asia Zero Emissions Community Plus) meeting convened by Japan on April 15, 2026, to discuss global energy supply chain disruptions.
- Jaishankar called for safe and unimpeded maritime transport, declaring attacks on merchant shipping "completely unacceptable" and warning that "global growth demands that energy markets are not constricted."
- India pledged to work with like-minded partners to develop energy supply chain resilience in response to the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
- India and Japan jointly reiterated their commitment to ensuring energy security and the stability of the Strait of Hormuz.
- The AZEC-Plus forum included participants from Southeast Asian nations (Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Bangladesh, Brunei), Australia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, the IEA, and the ADB.
Static Topic Bridges
India-Japan Strategic Partnership — Bilateral Context
India and Japan established a "Special Strategic and Global Partnership" in 2014, building on ties dating to Japan's post-World War II reparations and the 1952 Peace Treaty. The partnership spans defence, economy, connectivity, and technology. Japan is India's top source of Official Development Assistance (ODA), with major investments in infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. Both countries share strategic concerns about China's regional assertiveness, and their partnership is reinforced through Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) membership.
- India-Japan "Special Strategic and Global Partnership" formalised: 2014
- Japan is India's top ODA provider: cumulative loans exceeding $30 billion through JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail: $17 billion JICA-financed project; uses Shinkansen technology
- Quad (India, US, Japan, Australia): revived 2017; elevated to leaders' level 2021
- 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (Foreign and Defence Ministers): established between India and Japan
- Japan-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement: signed 2016 (only non-NPT country with which Japan has such an agreement)
Connection to this news: The India-Japan joint statement on Strait of Hormuz stability builds on the strategic partnership — both are major energy importers dependent on Gulf supply, making maritime security a shared core interest.
AZEC — Asia Zero Emissions Community and Energy Transition
The Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) was initiated by Japan's Prime Minister Kishida in 2022 as an alternative to the European-style rapid fossil fuel phaseout approach. AZEC recognises Asia's development diversity and energy access challenges, advocating for a "just and realistic" energy transition that includes LNG as a bridge fuel, ammonia co-firing, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). India joined AZEC as a partner country, given its large energy consumption and preference for a pragmatic rather than ideological transition pathway.
- AZEC launched: 2022 by Japan; core members: Japan + ASEAN nations; India as partner
- India's position on energy transition: supports the Paris Agreement targets but insists on "common but differentiated responsibilities" — developed countries must reduce faster and finance developing country transitions
- India's National Solar Mission: target of 280 GW solar by 2030 (within 500 GW renewable target)
- India's coal dependency: coal provides ~55% of India's total primary energy; rapid phaseout is not feasible given industrial energy needs
- IEA (International Energy Agency): established 1974 (post-Arab oil embargo); 31 member countries; publishes authoritative energy data and forecasts
Connection to this news: The AZEC-Plus meeting's focus on supply chain disruptions (rather than long-term transition alone) reflects the immediate crisis — the Hormuz blockade has turned abstract energy security concerns into an acute short-term crisis for Asian importers.
India's Energy Diplomacy — Diversification and Resilience
India's energy diplomacy aims to diversify sources, secure long-term supply agreements, invest in overseas energy assets, and build strategic reserves. India has pursued energy partnerships across the Gulf (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company/ADNOC stakes), Africa, Russia (Vankor and other fields), and the US (LNG contracts). The 2026 Hormuz crisis has accelerated India's push for energy supply chain resilience — including faster development of renewable energy, strategic petroleum reserve expansion, and alternative LNG supplier agreements.
- India's oil and gas import bill (FY25): approximately $150 billion — the single largest contributor to India's trade deficit
- India's SPR (Strategic Petroleum Reserves): 5.33 million tonnes (Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur); plans for additional 6.5 million tonne commercial reserves
- Indian overseas energy assets: OVL (ONGC Videsh) has assets in Russia (Vankor, Sakhalin), Vietnam, Sudan, Mozambique, and others
- India's LNG suppliers: Qatar (largest), Australia, USA (growing), Russia (Sakhalin LNG)
- India's renewable energy installed capacity (2025): ~200 GW; solar growing rapidly
- PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (2024): rooftop solar subsidy scheme targeting 10 million households
Connection to this news: India's participation in AZEC-Plus and its call for maritime resilience is part of its broader energy diplomacy — using multilateral forums to build coalitions of like-minded importers who share India's interest in keeping sea lanes open.
Key Facts & Data
- AZEC launched: 2022 by Japan; India is a partner country
- India-Japan "Special Strategic and Global Partnership": formalised 2014
- Japan JICA loans to India: cumulative over $30 billion
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR): ~$17 billion JICA-financed
- India's oil and gas import bill (FY25): ~$150 billion
- India's SPR capacity: 5.33 million tonnes (~9.5 days of consumption)
- India's renewable energy installed capacity (2025): ~200 GW
- India's coal share of total primary energy: ~55%
- IEA established: 1974 (response to Arab oil embargo)