India must necessarily develop broad, diverse set of energy relationships: Jaishankar

India's External Affairs Minister emphasizes the need for diverse energy relationships in a changing global economic landscape.

As the world’s fifth-largest economy, India must necessarily develop a broad and diverse set of energy relationships, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. said on Saturday (March 22, 2025).

Speaking at a media event in Mumbai, Mr. Jaishankar also said that after decades of hearing the virtues of globalisation, the world today is grappling with the reality of industrial policies, export controls and tariff wars.

He said that ensuring a favourable energy environment for coming decades is understandably one of India’s key diplomatic objectives.

Beyond fossil fuels, it extends to developing and deploying renewables on a large scale as well as exploring the potential of small modular reactors, he said.

“The fifth biggest economy of the world must necessarily develop a broad and diverse set of energy relationships,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

The Indian embassies now are far more active than before in the pursuit of the country’s commercial interests. They inform, advise and facilitate wherever possible to “ensure that our businesses do well”, the EAM said.

“A policy decision that has significant economic implications in recent years was our assertion of energy choices in the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict. The truth was every nation did what was in their self-interest even [though] some professed otherwise,” he said.