Annual Report 2011 - 2012

Given the country's increasing dependence on energy imports
and the growing importance of energy security issues in
international affairs, it was decided, in 2009, to upgrade the
Energy Security Unit (which was formed in September 2007)
to a full-fledged division. The period 2011-12 saw the Division
grow in terms of its responsibilities.
The work profile for the Ministry of External Affairs in
strengthening energy security includes: making sustained
diplomatic interventions on energy issues overseas; assisting
the government's efforts to further diversify the country's
supply base for oil, gas, and coal as well as other energy
resources; interfacing with nodal Energy Ministries; facilitating
R&D tie-ups, and technology transfer, in areas like renewable
energy, and energy efficiency; tracking of technological
innovations, and expansion of the knowledge-base, in the
field of energy.
Internationally, India supports a collaborative approach to
energy issues, and in that spirit has joined the International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International
Partnership for Energy Efficiency and Cooperation (IPEEC),
the Renewable Energy and Efficiency Partnership (REEEP),
the International Energy Forum (IEF), the Joint Oil Data
Initiative (JODI), and JODI-Gas, and has enhanced its
engagement with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Lead
participation in these platforms is from the nodal Ministries,
along with the representation from the Energy Security (ES)
Division. The Division continued its representation of the
Ministry of External Affairs at the IPEEC Policy Committee
Meetings, IEF, and IRENA. It may be recalled that the Energy
Security Division had played a major role in the process of
India joining the International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA), which was established on 26 January, 2009 and is
headquartered in Abu Dhabi.
In the IEF, given its position as the fourth largest oil-consumer,
India is a permanent member of the Executive Board of the
IEF. In the IEA, India is pursuing sectoral cooperation with
the IEA, through the instrument of MoU/Agreements,
including in its global emergency response system, without
becoming a member. In IRENA, India was elected to the
Energy Security
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IRENA Council for a two-year term. The ES Division has
been supporting the work of the nodal Ministries in all these
and other international fora.
A decision to hold a Resources and Energy Security (RES)
Dialogue, at the Head of Department level with Australia
was taken this year, and Joint Secretary (Energy Security)
visited Canberra for the first RES dialogue. The Division
also participated in the sixth India-EU Energy Panel meeting
(held on 18 November, 2011 at New Delhi).
The Energy Security Division continued to provide inputs
to articulate India's position on energy and food-security
matters in various multilateral fora, like the UNGA, G-20,
NAM, BRICS, ASEM, IBSA, East Asian Energy Ministers
Meeting, CICA, Commonwealth, SCO, etc. Inputs were also
provided to the respective Territorial Divisions and Ministries
for their engagements with energy-rich countries. As the
nodal point in the Ministry of External Affairs for all energysecurity
matters, the Energy Security Division maintained
close coordination with all the energy line ministries, and
supported their international engagement on energy issues.
One major initiative was the third India Africa Hydrocarbon
Conference held in New Delhi from 9-10 December, 2011,
which was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas. ES Division played a major role in the successful
outcome of the Conference, especially in terms of reaching
to key partner African countries. The Foreign Secretary
delivered the valedictory speech at the Conference
The Energy Security Division continued to take part in the
Technical Working Group (TWG), and Steering Committee
Meetings, of the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-
Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline project.
In addition to energy-security, food-security has also been
brought into the mandate of the Energy Security Division. In
keeping with this mandate, the ES Division now also handles
all matters relating to fertiliser cooperation, and is the nodal
point in the Ministry for all initiatives by the Government of
India and the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), for
the acquisition of raw material assets abroad.