External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has urged G20 nations to protect global energy markets from disruptions caused by sanctions, trade restrictions and strategic transit chokepoints. Speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta on Friday, he warned that deliberate disruptions to energy trade and infrastructure could keep prices hostage and create difficulties for developing economies.
Jaishankar said the current energy crisis was not simply a result of inadequate production. Instead, unpredictability, interrupted supplies, rising costs and limited access were creating significant challenges for countries dependent on reliable energy imports.
His remarks came amid restrictions on Iranian oil sales, disruptions to energy supplies from West Asia and changes in sanctions affecting Russian diesel.
G20 Must Ensure Open and Predictable Energy Markets
Addressing the meeting convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jaishankar highlighted how sanctions and disruptions at critical transit routes were increasingly complicating international energy trade.
He said the G20 must demonstrate leadership to ensure that energy markets remain open and predictable.
The minister also expressed concern that the impact of these disruptions on low-income countries was receiving insufficient attention. He cautioned against making selective distinctions between oil and gas, pointing to the wider consequences of restrictions in an interconnected global economy.
According to Jaishankar, countries must recognise their mutual dependence and avoid underestimating the consequences of measures that affect energy availability and affordability.
India Highlights Need for Reliable LPG Supplies
Jaishankar reaffirmed India's requirement for dependable and predictable supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which plays an important role in the country's clean cooking initiatives.
He also highlighted India's National Mission on Critical Minerals, which covers the entire value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing and recycling.
India has proposed a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to strengthen cooperation in this area.
Push for Investment in Emerging Energy Technologies
The External Affairs Minister called for greater access to finance and international cooperation to accelerate progress in emerging energy technologies.
He identified energy storage, small modular reactors, green hydrogen and biofuels as important areas requiring continued support.
Jaishankar's intervention placed energy affordability, supply reliability and access at the centre of the G20 discussion. His remarks also underlined India's position that international cooperation is essential to protect developing economies from unpredictable energy markets and disruptions to global trade.
Relevant Link: Ministry of External Affairs, India
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