India will remain an important driver of global energy demand in the coming decades, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on September 22, 2026. He made the observation while co-chairing the Seventh High-Level Meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)-India Energy Dialogue with OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais in New Delhi.

The meeting focused on oil market stability, energy security and the need for adequate and timely investment across the oil industry. The participants also reviewed the short-, medium- and long-term outlooks for the sector, highlighting India’s role in global economic expansion and the growth of energy demand.

Puri described India’s relationship with OPEC and its member countries as complementary and mutually beneficial. He said sustained engagement between producers and consumers was important for supporting investment, strengthening energy resilience and ensuring reliable energy supplies for global growth and development.

The minister called for closer cooperation between India and OPEC to advance a balanced, stable and predictable global energy market. He also underlined the importance of stability and transparency in international energy markets, as countries manage changing demand patterns and energy security priorities.

Al Ghais said dialogue with India was a priority for OPEC because of the country’s importance in the global energy landscape. He noted that India’s role was set to increase in the decades ahead and that the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue had completed 11 years since it was launched in New Delhi in 2015.

The OPEC secretary general also praised India’s balanced, realistic and pragmatic approach to energy challenges. He said many of India’s energy priorities were aligned with those of OPEC, providing a basis for continued cooperation between producers and consumers on market stability, investment and reliable supplies.