Africa and Geopolitics of India’s Energy security

This statement, delivered on October 6, 2010, outlines India's energy security strategy, highlighting the critical imbalance between growing energy demand and limited indigenous supply. It details India's reliance on imports, particularly for oil and gas, and its efforts to diversify sources through equity investments in Africa and the Middle East. The document discusses the role of coal as a primary energy source, the potential of nuclear and renewable energy, and the significant infrastructure investments required to sustain economic growth.

• India faces a growing imbalance between energy demand and supply, with energy production growing at 5% annually compared to an economic growth rate of around 9%. India is the fifth largest energy consumer globally and is projected to become the third largest by 2030, surpassing Russia and Japan.
• India's energy infrastructure is insufficient and unreliable, with 30% to 50% of produced electricity lost during delivery. The International Energy Agency estimates that India needs to invest approximately 800 billion dollars in infrastructure by 2030 to meet future energy requirements.
• Coal is the central element of India's energy security policy, providing 56% of the energy supply and 70% of electricity generation. While India has proven reserves of over 90,000 million metric tons, it imports high-quality coke from South Africa, with an annual import bill of USD 1.9 billion.
• India is heavily dependent on oil imports, which account for more than 70% of its needs, a figure that could reach 91.6% by 2020. To mitigate this, India uses equity investments via the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in countries such as Sudan, Nigeria, Syria, and Iran.
• India is pursuing a three-stage nuclear energy plan to utilize its substantial thorium reserves. The Indo-US Nuclear Deal is expected to help increase nuclear power generation from 3% to 8% of the total power supply.
• India has set a goal to produce 20 GW of solar power by 2020 through a US$19 billion plan. It currently ranks fifth globally in wind energy production and is exploring investment opportunities in South Africa's Western Cape.

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} }