NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 11, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his remarks at the inauguration of the third edition of India Energy Week 2025 via video message on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering at Yashobhoomi, he emphasized that the attendees are not just part of the Energy Week, but are also integral to India’s energy ambitions.
India Energy Week was envisioned as more than just another industry conference—it was designed to be a dynamic platform redefining global energy dialogues. In just two years, this self-funded initiative has achieved precisely that, becoming the world’s second-largest energy event. IEW 2025, scheduled from February 11-14, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, represents a significant milestone in shaping the global energy narrative.
Highlighting that experts worldwide are asserting that the 21st century belongs to India, Shri Modi remarked, “India is driving not only its growth but also the growth of the world, with the energy sector playing a significant role”. He emphasized that India’s energy ambitions are built on five pillars: harnessing resources, encouraging innovation among brilliant minds, economic strength and political stability, strategic geography making energy trade attractive and easier, and commitment to global sustainability. The Prime Minister noted that these factors are creating new opportunities in India’s energy sector.
“India has grown from the tenth largest to the fifth largest economy in the past decade”, remarked Shri Modi. He highlighted that India’s solar energy generation capacity has increased thirty-two times in the last ten years, making it the third-largest solar power generating nation in the world. He noted that India’s non-fossil fuel energy capacity has tripled and that India is the first G20 country to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Prime Minister emphasized India’s achievements in ethanol blending, with a current rate of nineteen per cent, leading to foreign exchange savings, substantial farmer revenue, and significant reductions in CO2 emissions. He highlighted India’s goal of achieving a 20 per cent ethanol mandate by October 2025. He remarked that India’s biofuels industry is ready for rapid growth, with 500 million metric tonnes of sustainable feedstock. He further noted that during India’s G20 presidency, the Global Biofuels Alliance was established and is continuously expanding, now involving 28 nations and 12 international organizations. He highlighted that this alliance is transforming waste into wealth and setting up Centers of Excellence.
Pointing out that India’s sedimentary basins hold numerous hydrocarbon resources, some of which have already been identified, while others await exploration, the Prime Minister highlighted that to make India’s upstream sector more attractive, the Government introduced the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). He emphasized that the Government has provided comprehensive support to the sector, including opening the Exclusive Economic Zone and establishing a single-window clearance system. Shri Modi noted that changes to the Oilfields Regulation & Development Act now offer stakeholders policy stability, extended leases, and improved financial terms. He emphasized that these reforms will facilitate the exploration of oil and gas resources in the maritime sector, increase production, and maintain strategic petroleum reserves.
Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, in his address at the event, highlighted the growing significance of the event, which has rapidly become the second-largest energy conference in the world in just three years. This year’s edition has drawn over 70,000 energy professionals from more than 50 countries, including over 20 Ministers and 100 CEOs from Fortune 500 energy companies, making it a key forum 6for discussions on the evolving global energy landscape.
Mr Puri underscored that IEW 2025 comes at a crucial juncture amid major geopolitical shifts that have reshaped the global energy order. He stressed that the conference offers a unique opportunity for policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue, exchange ideas, and chart a course for a balanced and inclusive energy transition. While reaffirming India’s commitment to sustainability, he emphasized that the transition must be pragmatic, recognizing the continued role of hydrocarbons alongside renewables, hydrogen, and biofuels. He cited the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) projection of global energy investment surpassing USD 3 trillion in 2024, with USD 2 trillion dedicated to clean energy technologies, as a clear indication of the accelerating shift toward cleaner energy sources.
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