Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security

India faces a growing gap between energy demand and indigenous supply, projecting it will become the world's third largest energy consumer by 2030. To address this, India is implementing an integrated energy policy focusing on diversifying sources—including increased imports of high-quality coal from South Africa and oil from Africa—while expanding nuclear, hydropower, and renewable energy capacities. Significant challenges remain, including unreliable infrastructure, high transmission losses, and geopolitical tensions affecting pipeline viability.

• India is experiencing a significant imbalance between energy demand and domestic production; while the economy has grown at approximately 9% annually, energy production has only grown by 5%. India is projected to become the world's third largest energy consumer by 2030, surpassing Russia and Japan.
• India's energy infrastructure is inadequate, with 30% to 50% of produced electricity lost during delivery. The International Energy Agency estimates that India needs to invest 800 billion dollars in infrastructure by 2030 to meet future needs.
• Coal is the primary energy source for India, providing 56% of its energy supply and 70% of its electricity. Due to the poor quality of domestic coal, India imports high-quality coke from South Africa, with an annual import bill of USD 1.9 billion.
• India imports over 70% of its oil, primarily from the Middle East, a figure expected to reach 91.6% by 2020. To diversify, India is pursuing equity investments in overseas oilfields, including $750 million in Sudan and a 2008 deal with Nigeria for 44 million barrels of crude oil per year.
• Nuclear energy is a key long-term strategy, supported by the Indo-US Nuclear Deal and a three-stage plan to utilize indigenous thorium reserves via fast breeder reactors. India aims to increase nuclear power generation from 3% to 8% of its total power.
• India is expanding its renewable energy portfolio, including a US$19 billion plan to produce 20 GW of solar power by 2020. It currently ranks fifth globally in wind energy production.
• Geopolitical tensions with Pakistan and internal politics in Bangladesh hinder the construction of cost-effective natural gas pipelines, forcing India to rely on more expensive LNG imports from Qatar and Oman.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2010). Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/saiia_conf_consulgenctnspeech_20101005.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security. 2010. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/saiia_conf_consulgenctnspeech_20101005.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security |date=6 October 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/saiia_conf_consulgenctnspeech_20101005.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2010africa, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/saiia_conf_consulgenctnspeech_20101005.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }