New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said India’s global energy footprint has widened significantly over the past decade, growing from 27 partner countries to 40, a shift he attributed to strengthened energy diplomacy and a more secure sourcing network under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Highlighting the country’s expanding global engagement, he said that India has built a stronger and more secure energy network by diversifying its partnerships across continents, refining its sourcing basket, and cementing trusted alliances.

“Bharat’s global energy footprint is expanding with purpose. From 27 partner countries a decade ago to 40 today, India has built a stronger and more secure energy network under PM Narendra Modi,” Puri said in a post on social media platform X.

He noted that this strategic outreach aligns with India’s broader goal of emerging as a major global refining and energy hub — a vision backed by rapid capacity expansion and policy reforms since 2014.

“A broader sourcing basket, growing refining strength and trusted global partnerships are powering a more resilient future for Bharat,” Puri stated.

Earlier this year, Puri underlined that India’s refining capacity has already reached about 258 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) and is expected to rise to nearly 310 MMTPA by 2030, before scaling further to 400–450 MMTPA in the long term.

This, he said, would position India among the world’s top refining hubs at a time when nearly 20 per cent of global refining capacity faces potential shutdowns by 2035.

Despite sluggish global growth in the energy market, India continues to stand out as a key driver of demand, projected to contribute as much as 30–33 per cent of the incremental global energy consumption in the coming decades.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Energy Technology Meet in Hyderabad in October this year, Puri said that Indian refineries are not only world-class and globally integrated but also export-ready, with petroleum product exports already reaching over $45 billion in FY 2024–25 and catering to more than 50 countries.

–IANS

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