India-U.S. Hydrocarbon Ties Seen as Key Driver of $500 Billion Trade Goal
New Delhi — India and the United States can deepen strategic energy ties across the hydrocarbon value chain to help expand bilateral trade to a shared goal of $500 billion by 2030, according to a report released Wednesday.
The report by the U.S.-India Business Council and Grant Thornton Bharat said hydrocarbons, including LNG, crude oil, LPG, ethane and propane, are expected to play a major role in expanding trade while creating new investment opportunities, strengthening energy security and improving supply chain resilience for both countries.
The report said the India-U.S. energy relationship is moving beyond a traditional buyer-seller model and developing into a broader strategic partnership covering trade, investment, technology, infrastructure and energy security.
“The evolution of the India-US energy relationship reflects the broader trajectory of our bilateral partnership-moving from transactional engagement to deeper strategic integration,” said Rahul Sharma, managing director of USIBC India.
“As trusted partners, India and the United States are uniquely positioned to collaborate across energy, technology and investment to strengthen energy security, support economic growth, and create new pathways for expanding bilateral trade in the years ahead,” he added.
The report recommended three priority actions: expanding the scale and value of hydrocarbon trade, creating a more attractive and predictable investment environment, and diversifying supply chains to strengthen long-term energy security.
Amit Kumar, partner and energy and renewables industry leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, said the India-U.S. energy partnership is entering a new phase that goes beyond commodity trade and extends into deeper collaboration across investment, technology, infrastructure and supply chains.
The report identified major U.S. investment opportunities in India’s upstream exploration and production, LNG infrastructure, city gas distribution, gas-based power and downstream petrochemical development.
It also pointed to opportunities for Indian companies to expand their presence in the U.S. energy sector through investments in LNG export facilities, upstream oil and gas assets, shale resources and petrochemical feedstock chains.
The report also recommended establishing an India-U.S. AI-Powered Energy Task Force to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies across the hydrocarbon sector.
Priority areas for the proposed task force include AI-driven energy forecasting, seismic interpretation, exploration optimization, predictive maintenance and digital twin technologies for real-time asset monitoring and operational efficiency. (Source: IANS)
