In New Delhi, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks dominated by energy security, a reflection of the two nations' shared anxiety over volatile global fuel markets and their mutual drive for a stable, diversified energy supply. The meeting, held at Hyderabad House, underscored a strategic pivot: both countries are recalibrating their energy policies against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and climate urgency.
The conversation comes at a moment when global energy systems are under unprecedented strain. Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to distort hydrocarbon markets, while OPEC+ production decisions inject further uncertainty. For India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, import dependence on crude exceeds 85%. For the United States, now a net petroleum exporter, the calculus is different but no less critical: it seeks reliable partners to counterbalance Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific and to stabilise demand for American liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Rubio and Modi discussed enhancing bilateral energy trade, with a focus on LNG shipments from the US to India, a relationship that has grown steadily since the first cargo arrived in 2018. India's LNG imports from America rose 15% year-on-year in 2023, and further expansion is expected as India builds new regasification terminals. The two sides also explored collaboration on strategic petroleum reserves, a mechanism that could buffer both economies against price spikes.
But the agenda extended beyond fossil fuels. Rubio, a known advocate for energy innovation, and Modi, who has championed India's ambitious renewable energy targets, touched on clean energy technologies. India aims to install 500 gigawatts of non-fossil capacity by 2030; the US, through the Inflation Reduction Act, is deploying massive subsidies for wind, solar, and nuclear. The potential for joint research on green hydrogen and grid-scale battery storage was reportedly on the table.
The timing is critical. India’s energy demand is projected to grow faster than any other major economy over the next two decades. Without a coherent strategy to manage this surge, the country risks locking into carbon-intensive infrastructure and exposing itself to price volatility. The US, for its part, needs to demonstrate that it can offer a reliable alternative to Russian and Chinese energy partnerships, which have deepened in recent years.
Yet challenges remain. India’s push for energy justice and affordability often clashes with the higher upfront costs of renewables. The US desire for open markets can conflict with India’s preference for domestic production and strategic autonomy. Neither side is under the illusion that one meeting can resolve these tensions. But the very fact that energy security led the discussion reflects a shared understanding: that the energy transition is not just an environmental imperative but a geopolitical one.
As the world hurtles towards an increasingly electrified future, with climate impacts intensifying, the Rubio-Modi talks serve as a reminder that energy policy is foreign policy. The decisions made in New Delhi and Washington will ripple through global markets, affecting everything from electricity prices in Mumbai to heating bills in Chicago. This is the reality of the planetary system we now inhabit: interconnected, fragile, and demanding of coordination.
The meeting concluded with a joint statement reaffirming the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership, with new working groups on hydrogen and supply chain resilience. For now, the words are promising. The true test will be in the infrastructure built, the contracts signed, and the emissions avoided.
