India hints at bigger US role in its energy security goals, gets ‘awesome ally’ endorsement

India expects a “very high element” of US involvement in its energy security goals in the years to come, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States.

Speaking at the India-US Strategic Forum in New York, Goyal said India, a major importer of oil and natural gas, plans to expand energy trade with Washington in the coming years, including cooperation in nuclear power.

“The world recognises that energy is one area where we all have to work together,” Goyal said. “India is a big player in the energy field. We are big importers of energy from across the world, including the US. We expect to increase our trade with the US on energy products in the years to come. Being close friends, natural partners, our energy security goals will have a very high element of US involvement.”

Goyal, who is leading a delegation to the United States for trade negotiations, also highlighted India’s interest in small modular reactor (SMR) technologies being developed in the US. He said New Delhi was working to address longstanding liability concerns that have hindered bilateral nuclear energy projects.

India, the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil, imports about 88% of its needs and sources roughly half of its natural gas from abroad.

The United States has emerged as one of India’s top five crude suppliers and its second-largest source of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Goyal’s comments come against the backdrop of Washington imposing a 25% additional tariff over New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking at a separate press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, called India an “awesome ally” and said Washington wants “more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India,” while acknowledging differences over Russian oil.

“That’s the friction. The friction’s on that issue,” Wright said. “We want to bring that war [in Ukraine] to an end. I believe the Indians want to bring that war to an end. And we want to expand our energy cooperation with India — in natural gas, in coal, in nuclear, in clean cooking fuels, and in liquid petroleum gas.”