India Energy Week 2026 concludes with focus on policy, data, and investment

The third day of India Energy Week 2026 in Goa concluded with a clear emphasis on aligning policy, technology, and investment to meet India’s rapidly expanding energy needs. Leaders from government, industry, and global institutions outlined a multi-faceted approach for a secure, resilient, and inclusive energy future. The discussions reinforced that India’s transition will be defined by a balanced and coordinated strategy.

Bioenergy emerges as a strategic pillar

At the Global Energy Conclave, the release of the IEA India Bioenergy Market Report and the fifth edition of the PPAC Journal highlighted the sector’s potential. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, stated that India’s bioenergy sector could grow significantly faster than overall energy demand, positioning it as a key pillar for energy security, emissions reduction, and rural development.

He cited the ethanol blending programme’s expansion from 1.4% in 2014 to nearly 20% today, with similar targets being pursued for biodiesel, compressed biogas, and sustainable aviation fuel. Dr. Paolo Frankl of the IEA noted that India has tripled modern bioenergy consumption since 2020 and could double deployment again by 2030 with enhanced policy support.

Data as a proactive economic tool

A Leadership Spotlight Session stressed the need for forward-looking and integrated energy data. Pankaj Jain, former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, warned that energy planning should anticipate economic growth rather than respond to it, to prevent supply constraints.

He called for stronger integration of data across petroleum, power, coal, and gas to support macroeconomic forecasting and infrastructure prioritisation. Srikant Nagulapalli, Director General of Hydrocarbons, emphasised that hydrocarbons will remain critical for hard-to-abate sectors, making timely and data-backed decisions essential for energy security.

Renewables move beyond capacity to integration and manufacturing

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, highlighted that India’s non-fossil fuel capacity has reached around 267 gigawatts, with a target of over 600 gigawatts by FY2030. He stated that future policy focus will shift towards grid integration, distributed renewable energy management, and strengthening domestic manufacturing across solar and wind value chains.

Industry representatives from Vikram Solar and the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association noted the transition from early deployment to deeper manufacturing integration and global market participation. They emphasised that this shift depends on policy stability and component-level indigenisation.

Green hydrogen momentum shifts from ambition to execution

Abhay Bakre, Mission Director of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, stated that India’s green hydrogen ecosystem is moving decisively from ambition to execution. He attributed this progress to competitive renewable energy costs and policy certainty.

He noted that green hydrogen and green ammonia prices are approaching parity with conventional alternatives, which is critical for both domestic adoption and export competitiveness. International perspectives from KBR and the Netherlands pointed to growing commercial viability and long-term export opportunities to markets such as Europe.

Coal’s continued role in a balanced energy mix

Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, emphasised that affordable and dependable baseload power from coal remains essential as India works towards tripling per capita energy consumption. He stated that the approach is a calibrated phase-down rather than a phase-out.

The panel highlighted opportunities in clean coal technologies, coal gasification, and India-US collaboration. It also noted that higher domestic coal production can reduce imports and help fund green energy infrastructure.

OPEC projects India as the largest demand growth driver

Presenting the World Oil Outlook 2025, Dr. Abderrezak Benyoucef of OPEC projected India to be the largest contributor to global oil demand growth until 2050, adding 8.2 million barrels per day. India’s total primary energy demand is expected to almost double by 2050.

The outlook underscored the need for sustained investment, with global cumulative oil-related investment requirements estimated at USD 18.2 trillion between 2025 and 2050.

Financing an inclusive energy transition

Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman and Managing Director of IREDA, emphasised that India’s energy transition depends on reliable data, realistic policy frameworks, and patient capital. He outlined IREDA’s role in financing both large-scale infrastructure and decentralised energy solutions.

He also highlighted IREDA’s expansion into emerging sectors such as green hydrogen and pumped storage, positioning the institution as a bridge between policy vision and bankable projects.

Conclusion

India Energy Week 2026 reaffirmed that India’s energy future will be shaped by a pragmatic, data-driven, and multi-source approach. The emphasis remains on balancing growth with sustainability, and ambition with on-ground realities.

Photo Source: @IndiaEnergyWeek/X