Geopolitical crises have often served as catalysts for the energy transition. For India, most notably, the oil shocks of the 1970s in West Asia exposed the risks of excessive import dependence. Thus, India was nudged to focus more on renewable energy development in a bid to secure energy independence. The ongoing conflict in West Asia, and its ramifications on the global oil and LNG markets, present a similar opportunity.
Currently, a key concern is the disruption of energy supply routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, given its strategic importance in global oil and gas trade. At the same time, production disruptions in several West Asian countries have tightened global supply, resulting in an upward pressure on oil prices and increased market volatility. As per the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, the price of crude oil (Indian Basket), as of March 16, 2026, has reached $142.69 per bbl. In February 2026, the average price was just $69.01 per bbl. In a recent address in the Rajya Sabha on the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that it has created a severe global energy crisis, disrupting routine supplies of essential goods such as petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers. He highlighted that India has diversified its energy imports and prioritised its crude oil reserves (strategic petroleum reserves of more than 5.3 million metric tonnes have been developed and arrangements are being made for reserves exceeding 6.5 million metric tonnes).
For India, the implications are significant. Higher oil prices translate into increased import bills, inflationary pressures and cascading effects across the economy. Rising fuel prices push up transportation, logistics and freight costs, impacting not just the common man but also industrial activity and supply chains. In this context, accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and the broader electrification of the economy assumes greater importance. India needs to switch gears with respect to the adoption of electric vehicles and electric cooking solutions, green hydrogen and its derivatives, and scale up biogas and compressed biogas (CBG) production to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas.
The Perspective section of this issue delves deeper into this topic. TERI School of Advanced Studies’ Dr Sapan Thapar writes on the current oil crisis and how it can catalyse India’s energy independence. Further, industry stakeholders discuss the vast opportunity in India to tap its agricultural waste through CBG projects, thereby providing an alternative to CNG and PNG. From a broader waste management and waste-to-energy perspective, Padma Jaiswal, IAS, Secretary to the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, points to the need for small, decentralised solutions with the participation of local stakeholders and the informal sector. In fact, at the recently held Bharat Electricity Summit 2026, ongoing disruptions in fuel markets and the need to accelerate renewable energy deployment were frequently highlighted. The issue covers these topics in the “Highlights of BES 2026” section.
India should continue to focus on the round-the-clock supply of renewables to navigate this crisis. The issue’s Spotlight on “Wind Power” covers the key trends in the sector and highlights that 28 GW of hybrid projects are under construction as per the Central Electricity Authority’s September 2025 quarterly report. Another promising trend is the recent commissioning of merchant BESS projects in India, which is covered in the Trends and Development section.
All in all, while the current crisis in West Asia underscores the structural vulnerabilities of fossil fuel dependence, it also offers an opportunity for India to accelerate the energy transition. As the adage goes, never let a crisis go to waste.
