Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticised the central government over rising energy import dependence, stating that India has moved further away from self-reliance in key fuel sectors over the past decade.
In a statement, Ramesh said that between 2014–15 and 2024–25, India’s dependence on crude oil imports increased from 84% to 90%. He also pointed out that reliance on LPG imports rose significantly during the same period, from 46% to 62%.
“All this when the mantra was supposed to Atmanirbharta,” Ramesh said, taking a swipe at the government’s flagship self-reliance initiative.
He added that the situation with natural gas production in the country remains “murkier,” linking it to earlier claims made during Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Ramesh recalled that on June 26, 2005, Modi had announced that the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) had discovered what was described as India’s largest gas reserve in the deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari basin, a development that was projected to make the country energy independent.
However, Ramesh alleged that subsequent findings contradicted those claims. “Five CAG reports between 2011 and 2016 were to reveal later that this was a Rs 20,000 crore scam,” he said, adding that the issue was later “covered up” through the merger of GSPC with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in August 2017.
“The gas grandly promised by Modi has remained that—gas,” Ramesh remarked.
The comments come amid ongoing political debates over India’s energy security and import dependence, particularly as the country continues to rely heavily on foreign sources to meet its growing fuel demand.
The government has repeatedly highlighted initiatives aimed at boosting domestic production and diversifying energy sources, while also promoting renewable energy as part of its long-term strategy.
