NEW DELHI: Amid geopolitical uncertainty triggered by the West Asia crisis, India is sharpening its energy strategy by accelerating cooperation with the US in coal gasification, a technology seen as key to reducing import dependence and strengthening economic resilience.
The focus emerged during talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, where both sides agreed to expand collaboration in emerging areas of the energy sector, including coal gasification and liquefied petroleum gas exports. Coal gasification is being positioned as a transformative pathway that converts coal into syngas, which can then be used to produce cleaner fuels, fertilizers, chemicals, and hydrogen. Officials see this as a strategic lever for India.
Misri’s discussion with Wright focused on “advancing energy security, deepening bilateral energy trade, and identifying new avenues to strengthen the India-US Energy Partnership,” the Indian Embassy in Washington said.
US Ambassador to India, Sergei Gor, who was also present during the meeting, said America was ready to cooperate with India on civil nuclear cooperation in addition to other areas, such as coal gasification and US LPG exports. “Great to spend this (Friday) morning with @SecretaryWright and FS Vikram Misri to discuss the future of US-India energy cooperation. After India’s historic passage of the SHANTI bill, we are ready to cooperate on civil nuclear in addition to other areas such as coal gasification and US LPG exports,” Gor said in a social media post.
India imports 83% of its crude oil, 50% of its natural gas, and over 90% of methanol and fertilizers. “Energy security remains a critical priority, and coal gasification offers a way to utilise domestic resources more efficiently while reducing external vulnerabilities,” a senior official familiar with the discussions said.
India’s vast coal reserves strengthen the case for this shift. With nearly 400 billion tonnes of reserves among the largest globally, coal continues to dominate the country’s energy mix, accounting for around 55 percent of total energy consumption and nearly 74 percent of electricity generation. Annual coal demand is already close to one billion tonnes and is expected to rise sharply by 2047. The United States brings considerable technical expertise in coal gasification, which can make the partnership mutually beneficial. “The US has substantive experience in coal gasification technologies, which can support India’s efforts to scale up cleaner coal utilisation,” an official said.
Coal gasification is not new. It was widely used by Germany during World War II to produce synthetic fuels such as petrol and diesel through the Fischer Tropsch process. The technology later gained traction in the United States after the oil shocks of the 1980s, with projects producing power, ammonia, and chemicals.
China currently leads in coal gasification globally and converts an estimated 340 to 350 million tonnes of coal annually into methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and petrochemicals