India's Energy Import Dependence and Strategic Vulnerability

India is the world's third-largest oil consumer and second-largest LPG consumer. It imports approximately 85% of its crude oil and 62–65% of its LPG. West Asia accounts for about 55–60% of crude imports and over 90% of LPG imports. This structural dependence makes India highly vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions in the Persian Gulf. The National Energy Policy and India's energy security roadmap aim to diversify sources (US shale oil, African producers, renewables) and develop domestic production, but import dependence remains high. The current crisis has revived debate about diversification timelines — shifting even 20–30% of LPG imports away from the Gulf would require years of infrastructure investment and renegotiated long-term supply contracts.