An associate member of the IEA since 2017, India is now part of the process to become a full member of the International Energy Agency, (IEA).
Ministers from the IEA’s member countries agreed to start discussions with India on the Indian government’s request to become a full IEA member, recognizing the country’s strategic importance in tackling global energy and climate challenges.
Ministers from the IEA’s 31 member countries made the announcement in a joint communique following the IEA’s 2024 Ministerial Meeting and 50th Anniversary events in Paris on 13-14 February.
India becoming an IEA member will mark a consequential change in international energy governance. As the world’s most populous country, India is set to play an increasingly central role in efforts to safeguard energy security, drive inclusive energy transitions, and combat climate change.
In the next three decades, India is poised to see the largest energy demand growth of any country in the world as industrialization and urbanization surge and per capita income rises sharply noted the IEA.
“India is the world’s fastest growing major economy. Sustained growth needs energy security and sustainability,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
The IEA’s full members, drawn from the Organization for Cooperation and Development, include the U.S., Germany, and Japan. Members are required to hold oil stockpiles equivalent to 90 days of imports, to be deployed in case of emergency.
The agency said separately that global leaders attending its two-day ministerial meeting “produced a strong commitment to safeguard energy security, while speeding up clean-energy transitions to keep the goal of limiting global warning to 1.5C within reach.”
“We are very happy that ministers from the IEA’s member countries have agreed to start membership talks with India – this is a major milestone for international energy governance,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “A valued and indispensable partner of our Agency, India plays a crucial and growing role in the global energy economy. The world cannot plan for its energy future without India at the table,” he added.
“In so many ways, the world’s energy future will depend on India’s energy future,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
The IEA and India have expanded their collaboration on energy and climate issues in recent years. The IEA provided expert analysis and advice on energy, climate, and development issues throughout India’s G20 Presidency, including on renewables, biofuels, energy efficiency, innovation and India’s Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative.
