India’s Energy Security & the Age of Sovereignty
By Suryavanshi IAS
1. Context: Energy Dependence as a Strategic Vulnerability
India imports around 85% of its crude oil and more than 50% of its natural gas. These aren’t just numbers—they represent strategic liabilities, especially as geopolitical flashpoints—such as in West Asia, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Red Sea—can disrupt supply chains. With an energy import bill of nearly $170 billion in FY 2023–24, energy policy must be central to national risk management. Sovereignty, in energy terms, means control, resilience, and autonomy.
2. Lessons from Global Energy Flashpoints
Historical crises have reshaped energy policy:
| Crisis | Lesson |
|---|---|
| 1973 Oil Embargo | Highlighted the need for strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) and diversified sourcing. |
| 2011 Fukushima | Caused distrust in nuclear power; today, nuclear is re-emerging as clean baseload. |
| 2021 Texas Freeze | Exposed vulnerabilities in systems built for cost-efficiency rather than resilience. |
| 2022 Russia-Ukraine War | Energy weaponization and supply shocks showed perils of over-dependence. |
| 2025 Iberian Blackout | Grid collapse due to lack of inertia highlighted the need for backup capacity with renewables. |
UPSC Insight: India must pivot proactively—with foresight, not just reaction.
3. Deep Dive: Five Pillars of India’s Energy Sovereignty
| Pillar | Strategic Rationale |
|---|---|
| Coal Gasification | Utilize high-ash domestic reserves to produce syngas, hydrogen, and methanol; pair with carbon capture to align with decarbonization. |
| Biofuels | Ethanol blending (₹92,000 cr saved) empowers farmers, supports E20 rollout, and supports SATAT to restore soil health. |
| Nuclear Expansion | Move beyond stagnant 8.8 GW by adopting thorium roadmap, SMRs, and uranium partnerships for clean, dispatchable energy. |
| Green Hydrogen | Hit 5 MMT/year by 2030 through domestic electrolyser and catalyst production to ensure sovereign supply chains. |
| Pumped Hydro Storage | Provide the grid-inertia backbone to stabilize renewable-heavy energy systems—leveraging India’s terrain. |
Synergies: These pillars interlink—biofuels serve climate justice, gasification offers resilience, and green hydrogen bridges clean-tech autonomy.
4. Progress So Far & Road Ahead
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Diversified Supply: Crude imports from West Asia have dropped below 45%, reducing over-dependence.
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Strategic Buffers: Expansion of SPRs is underway to mitigate shocks.
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Policy Push: Initiatives like PLI schemes, energy corridors, and renewable partnerships are building infrastructure and capabilities.
Challenges: Scaling gasification and CC technologies, building financing models for pumped hydro, and instituting robust green hydrogen ecosystems.
5. UPSC-Relevant Themes by Paper
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GS-III (Energy, Infrastructure, S&T): Energy sovereignty vs. green transition.
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GS-II (International Relations): Geopolitical dependencies and energy diplomacy.
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Essay / Interview: Frame the narrative: "Energy sovereignty is indispensable, not optional."
6. Previous Year UPSC Mains Questions (with key outlines based on official demands)
A. 2017 – GS-II
Q: "The question of India's energy security constitutes the most important part of India's economic progress. Analyze India's energy policy cooperation with West Asian countries."
Outline:
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Introduction: India imports ~60% oil from West Asia.
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Cooperation: India-UAE CEPA, Vision 2030 with Saudi Arabia, ONGC investments in Oman/UAE.
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Significance: Ensures supply, strengthens diplomacy, investments in solar collaborations.
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Challenges: Region instability, US policies, bureaucratic inertia.
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Conclusion: West Asia is vital, but India must diversify and deepen strategic energy ties.
B. 2021 – GS-III
Q: "Energy security is significant for socio-economic development. Discuss the challenges in achieving energy security and suggest measures to ensure it."
Outline:
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Significance: Reliable, affordable energy underpins SDGs, growth, and well-being.
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Challenges: Import-dependence, infrastructure gaps, regulatory delays, rural energy access, geopolitical risks.
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Solutions: Diversification, smart grids, energy efficiency, legislative frameworks, decentralized renewables.
C. 2018 – GS-III (Indirectly relevant)
Q: “Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve SDGs.” Comment on India’s progress.**
Key points: Renewable expansion, UJALA, rural electrification, energy efficiency—balanced with import bills and infrastructure deficiencies.
7. Conclusion
Sovereignty in the 21st century hinges not on oil but on energy autonomy. India's five pillars—coal gasification, biofuels, nuclear expansion, green hydrogen, and pumped hydro storage—are revolutionary foundations for resilient growth. Learning from past shocks, India must build energy systems that are secure, indigenous, and future-ready—not just for policy, but for national survival.
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