India’s expanding energy needs and the affordability of cleaner fuels took centre stage on the second day of India Energy Week 2026 in Goa with industry leaders and policymakers underlining the country’s central role in shaping future global energy systems.
Across multiple sessions, speakers stressed that India is set to become the largest contributor to global energy demand growth over the coming decades, making investments in gas infrastructure, power networks and electrification critical for both energy security and the energy transition.
At a panel on global Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) markets, Petronet LNG Managing Director and CEO Akshay Kumar Singh said natural gas adoption in India would depend on price stability, noting that LNG prices of $6–7 per MMBtu are essential to attract consumers in transport, power generation and city gas distribution.
Discussions on city gas distribution highlighted the need for faster pipeline rollout and coordinated planning between trunk pipelines and city networks. GAIL Gas CEO Goutom Chakraborty said scale and connectivity were crucial for reliable supply, while Indraprastha Gas MD Abhilesh Gupta pointed to safety standards, consumer trust and expansion of PNG and CNG as key to sustained adoption. Adani Total Gas CEO Suresh Manglani said India must move from fuel access to sustained usage through better policy–industry alignment.
India’s rising energy footprint was reinforced by projections from the World Oil Outlook 2025, presented by Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Dr Abderrezak Benyoucef. The report estimates India will add 8.2 million barrels per day of oil demand by 2050, driven by transport, industrial activity and petrochemicals, making it the single largest contributor to global demand growth.
The outlook also projects that India’s primary energy demand will nearly double by mid-century, requiring continued investment across upstream, midstream and downstream infrastructure alongside renewable expansion.
Electrification and grid readiness formed another key theme, with policymakers and utility leaders highlighting the role of electricity in economic growth and decarbonisation. Speakers from Power Grid, the Central Electricity Authority, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and REC emphasised grid modernisation, digitalisation and distribution reforms as essential to support rising power demand and renewable integration.
Officials pointed to ongoing reforms under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), including smart metering and governance-linked funding, as critical to improving the financial and operational health of distribution companies.
India Energy Week 2026 is being held in Goa from January 27 to 30 and brings together global energy ministers, industry leaders and technology providers to discuss energy security, investment and scalable decarbonisation pathways.
