Ans22.) India experienced a significant energy threat with US Iran war this year. It was reflected in rising energy prices and threat of shortage of lpg, the main cooking fuel.
The main threat to India's energy security are
- 88% of India's crude oil, 50% of natural gas and 70% of lpg is imported.
- 60% of crude, 70% of lng and 90% of lpg is imported through Strait of Hormuz.
- Accelerated demand for energy with rising gdp growth
- Lack of storage to sufficiently meet sudden exigency.
- Poor exploration and extraction efforts within the country.
Thus govt has tried certain steps to make India more energy secure. They are as follows
- Increasing domestic refining capacity at a faster pace specially for lpg.
- Developing strategic oil pool reserves at Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur to meet sudden demand.
- Promoting renewable energy, making it >50% of total electricity produced.
- Promotion of nuclear energy with SHANTI act, allowing private participants and easier entry.
- Development of green hydrogen with, SIGHT Program with a budget of ₹19750 crore
- Development of coal gasification scheme with budget of ₹37500 crore
- Promoting compressed bio gas plants from 3 to 34 in last 6 years under GOBARDHAN scheme.
Thus there have been multiple steps from supply side to promote energy security but there has to be demand side impact like
- using better machines which are more energy efficient
-Staggered timings for offices and schools in urban regions to reduce congestion at particular time.
- Keeping infrastructure better to avoid traffic jams
-Promoting railways as main mode to carry bulk traffic like rest of the world where it carries 70% of bulk traffic compared to only 26% in India.
- Promoting public transport
- Development of transit oriented development.
Thus it will help in reducing demand for fuel by rationalising it and making India a developed nation.
July 25, 2026 9.8K 47
