India energy security: PMO adviser urges transport shift to domestic fuels

India needed to reduce reliance on imported fuels, PMO Advisor Tarun Kapoor said on Friday. Kapoor urged the transport sector to shift towards fuels made within the country. The comments came as tensions in West Asia continued to affect energy markets. India imported a large share of crude oil, which increased exposure to outside supply shocks.

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At a Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) conference, Kapoor linked transport choices with national energy security. Kapoor said, "The transport sector must play a central role in strengthening Indias energy security. We cannot continue to depend on large-scale fuel imports and, over time, must move towards fuels that can be produced within the country.\"

Energy security and fuel imports in India

Kapoor said the push involved many cleaner and alternative fuel routes. Kapoor listed biofuels, ethanol and isobutanol blends, and flex-fuel technologies. Kapoor also cited compressed biogas, green hydrogen, LNG/CNG, electric mobility, and synthetic fuels. These options aimed to widen domestic supply choices while reducing exposure to global price swings.

Coal gasification-based fuel pathways were also under review, Kapoor said. Kapoor framed this as part of a wider plan to diversify domestic energy sources. Kapoor added that the effort supported clean mobility, energy security and decarbonisation outcomes. The approach reflected a mix of near-term and longer-term options for transport fuels.

Electric mobility and the transport sector in India

Kapoor said electrification could move faster in some vehicle categories. Kapoor noted the three-wheeler segment was well placed for quick electrification. Kapoor also said adoption in the four-wheeler segment needed a much faster pace. Kapoor did not give targets, but stressed that progress must scale up.

SIAM Executive Director Prashant K Banerjee also described the pressures facing the sector. Banerjee said, \"We are living through a time of unprecedented challenges, from climate change and air pollution to energy security concerns. But every challenge also creates an opportunity, and as the worlds largest market for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, India has already demonstrated remarkable progress in sustainable mobility.\"

SIAM held the event to mark World Environment Day. The industry body organised the sixth International Conference on Climate Action: Accelerating Indias Transition to a Low-Carbon Future. Speakers connected the discussion to current global disruptions and domestic goals. The conference focused on steps the transport sector could take to support cleaner fuels and stronger energy security.

With inputs from PTI