Quenching India’s thirst for energy

India today struggles to meet its energy supply needs, as signalled by the massive blackouts witnessed in 2012 and the chronic power shortages that continue to plague the country. With a quarter of its population lacking access to electricity, India’s struggles to satisfy its domestic energy demand – which, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% by 2035, more than double than the expected world average.

India’s impressive economic growth and rapidly expanding population are fuelling the country’s demand for energy, and increasingly, shaping India’s external relations and foreign policy. In addition to altering regional dynamics in South Asia, this shift will have significant implications for global energy governance, as well as for climate change discussions.