India energy diversification push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not announce a new “move away from the Middle East” on May 23, but Indian government statements this year show a clear diversification drive already underway. The strongest official evidence came on March 11, when India’s petroleum ministry said the country now imports crude from around 40 countries and that about 70% of crude imports were coming from routes outside the Strait of Hormuz, up from about 55% earlier. India has framed that shift as a response to supply risk rather than a break with Gulf partners. On May 15, the government said Modi’s visit to the United Arab Emirates would further strengthen cooperation across energy security and other sectors, underscoring that diversification and Gulf ties are proceeding in parallel. ### Did Modi actually announce a fresh policy on May 23? May 23 appears to be the date of the social-media post, not the date of a new official policy announcement. (pib.gov.in) I could not verify a same-day government statement from Modi declaring a new push away from the Middle East, but I could verify multiple 2026 government statements showing that India has already been expanding alternative sourcing and rerouting imports. (pib.gov.in) January 27 is one of the clearest policy markers. At India Energy Week 2026, Modi said India was “moving beyond energy security towards the mission of energy independence,” while pitching the country as a major energy investment market. ### What concrete evidence is there that India is diversifying supply? March 11 is the key date. In an inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia, the government said India’s crude supply remained secure, daily consumption was about 55 lakh barrels, and diversified procurement meant secured volumes exceeded what would normally have arrived through Hormuz during that period. (pib.gov.in) The same briefing gave the most specific diversification numbers. (pib.gov.in) India said it was importing crude from around 40 countries, that 70% of crude imports were now coming from routes outside Hormuz, and that two additional crude cargoes were already on the way. ### Is India cutting ties with Gulf suppliers? The UAE remains one of India’s major energy partners. In a May 15 government note tied to Modi’s UAE visit, India said the UAE was its fourth-largest source of crude oil in fiscal 2024-25, third-largest source of LNG, largest supplier of LPG, and the only country participating in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve programme. (pib.gov.in) That means the verified record points to diversification of routes and suppliers, not abandonment of the Gulf. (pib.gov.in) India’s public line has been that it is widening sourcing options while maintaining strategic ties with producers such as the UAE. ### Where does the “87% import-dependent” claim fit in? The 87% figure in the social post matches Japan, not India, in the material I could verify. (pib.gov.in) A March 5 analysis by Climate Bonds said Japan imported around 87% of its energy supply in 2024 and sourced about 90% of its crude oil from the Middle East. India’s official material uses different numbers. (pib.gov.in) The March 11 briefing focused on crude-routing changes, while government energy data pages and policy statements emphasize India’s broader import dependence and supply management without repeating the Japan-specific 87% claim. ### What is the most defensible takeaway from the record? The most defensible takeaway is that India’s diversification push is real, but the social post appears to compress several separate facts into one narrative. (climatebonds.net) The official record supports three points: India has expanded crude sourcing to around 40 countries, it shifted roughly 70% of crude imports outside Hormuz routes by March 11, and Modi has continued energy diplomacy with Gulf partners including the UAE. (pib.gov.in) May 15 and March 11 are the dates to watch in the public record. Those statements, along with updates from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, are the clearest official places to track whether India signs new supply deals or changes import patterns further. (ppac.gov.in) (pib.gov.in)