India Energy Week 2025 Cements India’s Role as Global Energy Leader: Puri

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th Feb. India Energy Week (IEW) 2025 concluded with major announcements on energy transition, exploration, and global partnerships, solidifying India’s position as a key player in the global energy landscape. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the event’s success, citing record participation, groundbreaking agreements, and India’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

Addressing the media, Puri emphasized that within just three years, India Energy Week has grown into the world’s second-largest energy conclave. The event, which saw a record number of participants, exhibitors, and technical paper submissions, focused on petroleum, natural gas, biofuels, compressed biogas (CBG), and green energy. He confirmed that the fourth edition of IEW will take place in Goa.

Major Announcements and Developments

One of the biggest takeaways from IEW 2025 was India’s push for energy self-reliance and decarbonization. Puri noted that the conclave stood apart from other global energy forums by facilitating real business transactions rather than just networking.

• Record-Breaking Exploration Bid Round: The Open Acreage Licensing Program (OALP) Round X, covering 200,000 sq km, was launched, marking India’s largest-ever bid round for hydrocarbon exploration. The Minister attributed increased investor interest to regulatory reforms, a shift from production-sharing to revenue-sharing mechanisms, and proposed amendments to the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948.
• India-US Energy Partnership: Shri Puri emphasized strengthened India-US ties, particularly in the LNG sector, aligning with India’s plan to increase natural gas consumption from 6% to 15% of its energy mix.
• Green Energy Push: India reaffirmed its commitment to green hydrogen, with Shri Puri expressing confidence in reaching the 5 million metric ton (MMT) production target by 2030. Sustainable aviation fuel and advanced ethanol blending initiatives were also highlighted.
• Flex-Fuel and Biofuel Adoption: Demonstrations of cost-effective conversion kits for two- and three-wheelers, enabling biofuel use, were a major attraction at the HPCL stall.

Legislative Reforms and Transparency in Energy Policy

The Minister underscored policy predictability as a critical factor for attracting global investments. He pointed out that amendments passed by the Rajya Sabha will ensure transparency, particularly in the implementation of windfall tax policies. India’s evolving oil and gas regulatory framework aims to incentivize both domestic and international players.

Global Energy Trends and India’s Strategic Position

Discussing the global energy scenario, Shri Puri noted that new oil sources in the Western Hemisphere—including Brazil, Argentina, Suriname, Canada, the US, and Guyana—are expected to benefit major consumers like India. He reaffirmed confidence in India’s international energy investments in Brazil, Venezuela, Russia, and Mozambique.

Startup Innovation and Hackathon Winners Recognized

The Avinya’25 – Energy Startup Challenge saw UrjanovaC Pvt Ltd winning for its synthetic catalyst technology enabling scalable CO₂ capture and conversion. Other winners included:

• Breathe ESG Private Limited (SaaS platform for ESG reporting and compliance).
• AgriVijay (renewable energy marketplace for farmers).
• Apeiro Energy (hybrid microgrid solutions).
• UGreen Technology (CO₂ reactivity enhancement for efficient carbon capture).

Additionally, the Vasudha – Oil and Gas Startup Challenge, an exclusive international competition, awarded Latin Energy Partners Inc., Paraguay, and Ultrasound Process Consultation LLC, USA, for innovations in AI-driven production management and geothermal exploration.

A Hackathon among premier IITs focused on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and renewable energy solutions, with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad winning and IIT Guwahati securing the runner-up position.

Looking Ahead: India Energy Week 2026 in Goa

As IEW 2025 wraps up, India’s energy sector is poised for major transformation, with continued focus on exploration, innovation, and sustainability. The next edition, IEW 2026, will be held in Goa, further reinforcing India’s growing leadership in the global energy sector.