The United States has expressed readiness to play a larger role in supporting India’s energy security, with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau urging New Delhi to consider American supplies as it diversifies energy sources.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2026, the flagship annual event of the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on Thursday, Landau said India faces the challenge of securing stable energy supplies for its rapidly growing economy. He said the United States, as one of the world’s most energy-rich countries, is well positioned to help meet those requirements.
“I hope you are looking for alternate sources, and I hope you are thinking about the United States,” Landau said.
He said energy cooperation between the two countries could expand as India looks for reliable suppliers to meet both short-term and long-term needs.
His remarks come amid ongoing tensions in West Asia and concerns about potential disruptions to global energy flows.
India imports about 88 per cent of its energy requirements. A large share of its crude shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime route linking the Persian Gulf with global markets. Nearly 40 per cent of India’s oil imports move through this corridor.
Concerns over possible disruptions have led Indian refiners to assess alternative crude sources in case tensions in the region escalate.
Since 2022, India has significantly increased imports of discounted Russian crude, becoming one of Moscow’s largest oil buyers and cushioning the impact of higher global prices.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal said on social media platform X that India could purchase more energy from the United States if prices are competitive but warned against pressure to alter supply choices.
“We import 88% of our energy needs. The US doesn’t produce enough to meet our requirements. We can buy more from the US if the price is right. But the problem is that the US seeks to coerce us to buy from them and choose for us the sources of our supply by threatening sanctions if we make independent choices,” Sibal wrote. “When Landau suggests we should look at the US as an ‘alternate’ supplier, he means it should be at the expense of some other supplier,” he added.
Landau also said negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement between India and the United States are nearing completion.
“The trade deal is close to the finish line,” he said.
