India and China to co-host energy meet in Delhi

NEW DELHI : India and China, along with South Korea, will co-host a meeting of energy ministers from 60 countries in New Delhi in April.

The meeting, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will see ministers discuss global energy security and transition to renewables at the biennial International Energy Forum (IEF) on April 10-12. It will have representation from all major energy producers and consumers in the world.

“We expect about 60 energy ministers, 15 chief of international organisations, including International Energy Agency (IEA) and Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and 30 CEOs from top companies. It will be across the board focus discussion on various issues related to the oil producers as well as consumers. We will focus, among other things, investment, technology, renewables and human resources,” said Sunjay Sudhir, joint secretary (international cooperation), ministry of petroleum and natural gas.

The event assumes significance as most meetings of the forum are held in oil-producing countries, with the next meeting slated to be in China.

“We will have themes, which concern both the oil-producing and consuming countries, and developing, least developed or developed countries. The theme of the meet is the future of global energy security. Transition, technology, trade and investment will be discussed,” said Sudhir.

He said a great deal of focus will be on “transition” towards renewable energy that is taking off in a big way. “The transition

part will be very important because every now and then you hear about electric vehicles, renewable, competing with prices of solar or wind energy. So, this transition is something we need to capture,” said Sudhir.

Sun Xiansheng, IEF secretary general, said, “It is an important meeting for oil consuming and producing countries.” He said many members of the IEF, such as Russia, don't belong to the IEA and the OPEC. “India and China are Asian members of the IEA. But they do not have voting rights and are observers only. Thus, the IEF is more important,” he said.

Around 700 delegates will attend this meeting.