India is exploring equity participation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction projects in the United States, particularly facilities under construction or nearing final investment decision (FID), as New Delhi and Washington move to deepen bilateral energy ties, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.
Speaking at India Energy Week (IEW), Puri said discussions during the roundtable on the Future of India–US Energy Partnership focused on expanding cooperation across crude oil, LNG and LPG, even as the US has consolidated its position as India’s sixth-largest energy trade partner. Bilateral hydrocarbon trade between the two countries reached over $13.7 billion in FY24-25.
LNG liquefaction projects in the United States
“Indian companies are interested in equity participation in LNG liquefaction projects in the United States, particularly those under construction or approaching FID,” Puri said, adding that such investments would help secure long-term energy supplies while deepening commercial engagement between the two countries.
The roundtable, which followed up on discussions held during IEW 2025 in New Delhi, also covered opportunities to further enhance bilateral trade in crude oil, LNG and LPG. Puri said the two sides discussed technology partnerships in areas such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, along with cooperation across the exploration and production (E&P) value chain.
“The United States and India possess comparative advantages that offer a chance to develop a critical minerals sector,” he said, noting that US companies are already partnering actively in India’s energy sector and are looking to expand investments in E&P while strengthening gas trading ties.
Puri underlined that these energy engagements are being driven by commercial considerations. “If someone had told me years ago that India would be buying $15 billion worth of energy from the US, I would not have believed it. These are market-driven decisions,” he said.
Beyond the US, Puri said India is also stepping up bilateral energy engagement with Japan, with New Delhi inviting Japanese oil and gas companies to participate in the ongoing Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) X round.
“We had an India-Japan roundtable on opportunities for collaboration across the energy value chain,” Puri said, adding that ethanol and biofuels emerged as a priority area of cooperation. India, he said, is offering surplus ethanol capacity, diversified feedstocks such as used cooking oil (UCO), and has made significant progress on blending targets.
Discussions with Japan also covered multiple opportunities across the gas and low-carbon fuel ecosystem, including LNG value chains, city gas distribution networks, and biomethane or compressed biogas (CBG) development. The two sides also explored collaboration opportunities across automation, digitalisation, AI-enabled predictive analytics, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and advanced instrumentation to enhance efficiency across oil and gas operations as well as new energy segments.
Yokogawa Electric Corporation, others plan to expand investments in India
Puri said Yokogawa Electric Corporation has already shown strong interest in expanding its investments in India. He also noted that global and domestic companies have expressed strong confidence in India’s growth trajectory and conveyed keen interest in expanding and deepening their business presence in the country.
The minister further highlighted outcomes from other bilateral engagements at IEW, including country sessions with Japan, the Netherlands and Iceland, covering areas such as hydrocarbons, LNG value chains, geothermal energy and CCUS. He said India today occupies a “unique position” in the global energy landscape. “That old construct of producers and consumers is gone. India is the third-largest consumer, the fifth-largest exporter and the fourth-largest refining hub,” he said.
India currently imports energy from about 40 countries and LNG from 18 sources, while exporting petroleum products to more than 150 nations. Puri said the government remains focused on diversifying supply sources, enhancing long-term security through overseas investments, and positioning India as a reliable partner across the global energy value chain, with energy availability, affordability and sustainability remaining central to policy decisions.