LNG tug-of-war squeezes South Asia
Countries in the region are particularly sensitive to high LNG prices, but term contracts and a degree of inelastic power-sector demand may support flows
Intense competition between Europe and East Asia for limited LNG volumes means less—but not no—LNG flowing to South Asia. India was still the world’s fourth-largest LNG importer in 2021—behind China, Japan and South Korea, and narrowly above Taiwan, EIA data shows, but the country’s import volumes were down year-on-year. India imported 24mn t of LNG in 2021, according to data from commodity tracker Kpler, down from 26.3mn t in the previous year, albeit 2020’s supply glut and low prices were hugely propitious conditions for the South Asian importer. India imported just 1.5mn t in February this year, the lowest volume for any month since April 2020. But imports rebounded in May to 2.1mn t, the
Also in this section
14 April 2026
The GECF has warned it may revise its projections for demand this year downwards in light of conflict in the Middle East, although it maintains its forecasts for 2027 and onwards
13 April 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis highlights sharp shift from crude oversupply to market deficit, with Iraq and Kuwait badly affected and key producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE also seeing output sharply lower
13 April 2026
Turkmenistan is moving ahead with a modest expansion of the giant Galkynysh field to sustain gas deliveries abroad, but persistent delays to other key pipeline projects and geopolitical risks continue to constrain its export ambitions
13 April 2026
Expensive electricity has forced out swathes of energy-intensive industry and now threatens the country’s ability to attract future investment in datacentres and the digital economy
