NEW DELHI– The Indian government said Thursday that the United States has expressed interest in expanding energy cooperation with India, and discussions are currently underway between the two countries.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that India and the U.S. have long pursued efforts to strengthen bilateral energy ties. “Where the U.S. is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement,” the ministry said. “This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing.”
The statement came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would stop buying oil from Russia, while acknowledging that the shift could not happen “immediately.”
The MEA emphasized that India remains a major importer of oil and natural gas, and its energy strategy is focused on protecting domestic consumers from volatility in global markets. “It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” the ministry said.
Ensuring stable prices and reliable supplies, it added, are the “twin goals” of India’s energy policy. “This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions,” the statement said.
Despite the 50 percent tariff hike imposed by the Trump administration, India’s exports to the U.S. rose to $45.82 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year (April–September), a 13.3 percent increase from $40.42 billion during the same period last year.
According to the Commerce Ministry, India could increase imports of crude oil and natural gas from the U.S. by $12–13 billion without altering refinery configurations. The government, it said, is eager to diversify its energy import portfolio, provided the resources are available at the right price.
India’s Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal departed for Washington on Wednesday to join the trade delegation already engaged in bilateral discussions. The two sides are also exploring opportunities for India to source more renewable energy technologies from the U.S. as part of a broader trade package aimed at promoting clean energy and combating climate change. (Source: IANS)
