India’s Pursuit of Energy Security

After an edifying and well-received book, Indian Lobbying and its Influence in US Decision Making, Dr Ashok Sharma turns his focus on an increasingly critical sector of India’s domestic and foreign policy—energy security—key to its economic ambitions. The country faces several challenges—environmental, equity-based, economic, technological and geopolitical—to meet its energy deficit. They have powerful implications for India’s energy policy. Dr Sharma’s comprehensive study concludes that the choices the country has made balance the demands of these challenges both effectively and strategically. This timely and scholarly book dealing with the complex issue of energy security is highly recommended for academics, policymakers and anyone seriously interested in India’s quest for energy security.  -- Ambassador Lalit Mansingh, * Former Foreign Secretary of India and Ambassador to the United States *
This remarkable book by Ashok Sharma is, to the best of my knowledge, the first to examine key issues related to India’s energy security in a comprehensive manner. Several factors combine to make energy security one of the key challenges facing not just India but the world economy as well. While high GDP growth rates in India are necessary to raise living standards and reduce poverty, such growth rates will also sharply raise energy demand. The source and composition of such energy are also crucial given the twin challenges of climate change as well as the paucity of domestic sources of energy, the latter necessitating India’s deep involvement in energy diplomacy to face challenges from China. Sharma’s book is an erudite exposition of all these key issues. It will be invaluable to policymakers and students. I recommend it strongly.  -- Professor Raghbendra Jha, * Executive Director, Australia South Asia Research Centre, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University *
After his first seminal book Indian Lobbying and Its Influence on US Decision Making, Dr Sharma takes a thorough study of India’s energy security. Dr Sharma observes that much of the global energy demand will be due to growth from India and China. India, the world’s third largest energy consumer, will continue to supersede the growth rate of all major economies. This will increase its oil and gas import dependency. India is also turning to renewables and nuclear sources, signalling a shift to a more environment-friendly energy policy. 

Dr Sharma argues that India’s energy policy is in need of a multifaceted approach. The domestic measures and reserves are not sufficient. The book is a thorough and meticulous account of India’s attempt to diversify its oil and gas imports dependency on the Middle East, and how such a pursuit places India in direct competition with China which is further intensified by a complex great power politics in the Indo-Pacific region. A must-read for both academic and policy professionals and anyone interested in the evolution of India’s quest for energy security and the consequent geopolitical ramifications. -- Emeritus Professor Dov Bing, * Department of Political Science and Public Policy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand *