--- title: "India urges energy self-reliance amid resource, sea-route weaponisation" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-energy-self-reliance-statement-f1yam publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-23T09:00:35.412Z modified: 2026-08-23T11:00:06.545Z language: en-IN --- # India urges energy self-reliance amid resource, sea-route weaponisation Prime Minister Modi warned that resource and sea-route weaponisation risks India's economy and urged greater energy self-reliance. He cited geopolitical tensions, including disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, and highlighted steps to expand domestic energy capacity. ## Key takeaways - Modi linked resource and sea-route weaponisation to risks for India's economy and urged greater energy self-reliance. - Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are cited as a context for energy-security concerns and higher costs. - India is expanding offshore exploration and unlocking sedimentary basins while increasing domestic gas access and diversification of crude and LNG sources. ## What Happened Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day, August 15, 2026. He warned that some countries are weaponising resources and strategic sea routes, posing risks to India's economic security, and called for greater self-reliance in energy to lessen dependence on overseas supplies. He did not name any country specifically but linked geopolitical pressure to the use of resources, technologies, and key routes as instruments of leverage. Modi cited the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and Tehran's retaliatory actions as context that disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait handled about 20 million barrels per day of oil and petroleum products in 2025, roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade, and moved almost 20% of global LNG trade, making Asian importers particularly vulnerable to prolonged disruption. Renewed tanker attacks have further stalled efforts to resolve the conflict, increasing energy and shipping costs. India has diversified its energy sourcing in response to Gulf shipments uncertainty, sourcing LNG from Oman, the United States, Nigeria, and Angola, and moving to broaden crude purchases. Modi highlighted renewed efforts to accelerate domestic energy capacity, including leveraging offshore reserves and expanding exploration access across sedimentary basins. Two major policy steps were noted: the ₹84,084-crore Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme to accelerate oil and gas exploration in deepwater and ultra-deepwater areas over five years, and the opening up of 99% of India’s sedimentary basins for exploration and production. These moves aim to attract investment and technology to domestic basins and reduce exposure to global energy shocks. Modi also referenced improvements in domestic gas access, stating that piped cooking gas coverage expanded from 70 cities to 700 cities, reaching 1.75 crore households, up from 22 lakh in 2014. ## Why It Matters The remarks underscore a strategic shift toward energy self-sufficiency as a tool to shield India's economy from external shocks. By broadening exploration in offshore and sedimentary basins and expanding domestic gas distribution, the government seeks to reduce reliance on imported energy and mitigate price volatility tied to geopolitical frictions in critical routes like the Strait of Hormuz. The emphasis on domestic capacity could influence investment flows, technology transfer, and how India prices and secures its energy mix in the coming years, particularly for crude and LNG imports that currently depend on global markets and geopolitical dynamics. ## Background The Strait of Hormuz is a key conduit for global energy supplies, with historical significance for Indian energy security due to its share of crude and LNG traffic. The regional tension surrounding Iran, Oman, and allied forces has implications for shipping costs and availability, which in turn affects energy policy decisions in major importing nations. ## Key Facts - Modi spoke on August 15, 2026, from the Red Fort during India’s Independence Day celebrations. - He warned about weaponisation of resources and sea routes and urged energy self-reliance. - Strait of Hormuz handled about 20 million barrels per day of oil and petroleum products in 2025 and carried almost 20% of global LNG trade. - India imports nearly 90% of its crude oil and about half of its natural gas needs. - Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme is ₹84,084 crore, intended to accelerate oil and gas exploration over five years. - 99% of India’s sedimentary basins are now open for oil and gas exploration and production. - Piped cooking gas coverage expanded from 70 cities to 700 cities; 1.75 crore households supplied, up from 22 lakh in 2014. - India has broadened crude purchases to 41 countries and LNG imports from 15 countries, up from 27 and six respectively in earlier years. ## What Happens Next The government indicated ongoing implementation of offshore exploration schemes and broader basin access to attract investment and technology, aimed at strengthening domestic energy security and reducing vulnerability to external shocks. Specific timelines for project milestones beyond the five-year scope of the Samudra Manthan program were not provided in the speech. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-energy-self-reliance-statement-f1yam Reported from: Multiple Sources