India will step up domestic oil and gas exploration while accelerating the scale-up of Compressed Biogas (CBG), green hydrogen and biofuels to reduce exposure to global energy shocks, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday as India Energy Week 2026 concluded in Goa.
Speaking at the closing session of the four-day event, Puri said India’s energy strategy is anchored in diversification of supply, expansion of domestic production and a calibrated transition to cleaner fuels. “We have coped very well with successive geopolitical shocks. Each challenge has been converted into an opportunity through diversification of supply sources and a rapid transition towards cleaner fuels,” he said.
India, currently the world’s third-largest energy consumer and fourth-largest refiner, will continue to prioritise availability and affordability of energy even amid global uncertainty, the minister said. While conventional fuels will remain critical for economic growth, the share of ethanol, compressed biogas, hydrogen and biofuels will steadily rise in the energy mix, he added.
Puri said the government had shielded domestic consumers from global price volatility, ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply despite international disruptions.
Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal said India’s energy demand would rise sharply alongside economic growth, making domestic exploration and production a priority. He said the government was accelerating drilling and exploration activity to reduce import dependence, while expanding refining and petrochemical capacity to support exports.
Mittal said technology and digitalisation would play a central role in lowering costs and improving efficiency across the energy value chain. He added that India was on track to meet its CBG targets, with a goal of achieving 5 percent blending by 2030, supported by state participation and farmer-linked biomass supply chains.
India Energy Week 2026 was held from January 27 to 30 in Goa, bringing together policymakers, global energy companies and industry leaders to discuss energy security, affordability and transition pathways.
