India’s ‘blue flame revolution’ gathers pace

Natural gas will play a pivotal role in underpinning the world’s fastest-growing major economy as the government grapples with its energy trilemma—to make its supply secure, affordable and sustainable

During the first term of Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the prime minister and his petroleum and natural gas minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, spoke often of wanting to build a gas-based economy in India. Pradhan says he wants to see a “blue flame revolution transform India’s energy landscape”.  With the government now in its second term—following the NDA’s landslide victory in last May’s general election—gas remains a policy priority. The aim is to boost the share of natural gas in primary energy supply from 6.2pc to 15pc by 2030. Given that primary energy supply is forecast to grow by 4.2pc/year, according to Pradhan, the scale of this ambition is breathtaking.