India’s Energy Security | ORF HINDU CONCLAVE 2020

India’s economic and developmental ambitions and aspirations have significantly emboldened
in this millennium and with that so has the demand for energy resources. As the second-most
populous country in the world, India also needs sufficient energy supply in a per-capita
capacity. In light of these realities, the question of energy security has understandably assumed
significance in policy and academic circles. Understood as uninterrupted availability of energy
resources, the achievement of energy security poses various challenges in the Indian context
including whether achieving said security will remain a pipe dream in the foreseeable future.

Presently, India’s energy sector is extremely oil-dependent and often finds itself severely
affected by the volatility in the international order. As we aim to develop alternative supply
beds for energy, we see the emergence of a healthier environment-friendly resource policy but
whether these steps will yield sustainable results remains up for debate much like our
capabilities to fulfill our international obligations in this sector.

This panel aims to highlight the multiple concerns that fall under this broader theme of energy
security.

Questions to address:

India's commitment to Paris agreement: the demand and supply gap and the dilemma of
resource diversion.
The nuclear question: Does nuclear energy open new doors for India's future?
Hydrocarbons: India's dependence on the conventional - economic and environmental
costs
Green Technology: is it a way out?
The Iran question

Speakers

Kabir Taneja, Fellow, Strategic Studies, ORF
Shyam Bohra, Executive Director, Indian Oil Corporation
RC Nakul, Director S&S Water and Power Projects Ltd. & Former Chief Engineer,
Central Electricity Authority

Moderator: Aparna Roy, Associate Fellow and Lead, Climate Change and Energy,
Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED), ORF