New Delhi [India], March 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday used the platform of the NXT Conclave at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to address the ripple effects of the ongoing Iran war and the resulting global energy crisis, saying the conflict has disrupted supply chains worldwide and affected every country to varying degrees.
Speaking at the summit, the Prime Minister outlined how India is navigating the turbulence in global energy markets while simultaneously pushing a long-term strategy of expanding domestic energy infrastructure and reducing dependence on foreign fuel supplies.
He said the government is in constant touch with world leaders and is working at multiple levels to manage disruptions caused by the war-driven energy shock.
“No country is untouched by the impact of this global crisis caused by war. To a greater or lesser extent, everyone is affected by this crisis,” the Prime Minister said, adding that India is making continuous efforts to overcome supply-chain disruptions and safeguard domestic energy availability.
PM Modi Unveils India’s Energy Strategy At NXT Conclave
Addressing the iTV Network’s NXT Conclave at Bharat Mandapam, the Prime Minister said India is pursuing a two-pronged strategy, expanding domestic energy infrastructure while pushing for self-reliance to reduce dependence on foreign sources.
PM Modi explained that the government’s energy policy is built around two key pillars: expanding infrastructure to improve energy access and strengthening domestic capabilities to reduce reliance on imports.
“First, to increase energy access in the country, we build infrastructure. Second, we do not have to rely solely on foreign sources for energy. For this, we emphasised self-reliance in the energy sector,” he said.
His remarks came against the backdrop of rising concerns around LPG supply, global war-driven energy disruptions, and economic uncertainty.
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PM Modi On People Creating Panic Over LPG Availability
The Prime Minister addressed the ongoing debate around liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) availability, urging responsible public discourse during a period of global uncertainty. PM Modi also took aim at the Opposition, accusing political rivals of attempting to create unnecessary panic over LPG supply concerns at a time when global conflicts have already strained energy markets. He assured that the government is actively addressing supply-chain challenges.
“There’s a lot of discussion these days about LPG. Some people are trying to create panic and pursue their own agenda,” he said, without naming political parties.
PM Modi said he did not want to comment politically but warned that attempts to spread panic could harm the country during a sensitive period marked by global instability.
How India Has Strengthened Its Strategic Reserves, PM Modi Reveals At NXT Summit 2026
Highlighting capacity expansion in the petroleum sector, the Prime Minister said India has significantly strengthened its strategic reserves.
“Prior to 2014, India’s strategic petroleum reserves, crude oil stored for use during times of crisis, were minimal. Today, we have established over 50 lakh tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves,” he said.
He also noted a sharp rise in household LPG access and natural gas infrastructure.
LPG connections have increased from 14 crore in 2014 to over 33 crore today.
LNG terminals in the country have doubled during the same period.
Expansion Of Gas Infrastructure, Massive Investments By Modi Government
The Prime Minister said the government has made major investments in expanding the gas ecosystem across India.
He highlighted that the gas pipeline network has expanded from around 3,500 kilometres to 10,000 kilometres, significantly strengthening the supply chain. Import terminal capacity at major ports has also been increased to manage the 60% of LPG that India imports.
The expansion has been accompanied by wider urban gas coverage.
According to the Prime Minister:
Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections have increased from 25–26 lakh households before 2014 to more than 1.25 crore today.
The number of CNG-powered vehicles has grown from under 10 lakh to more than 70 lakh.
He credited this progress to the City Gas Distribution network, which has been expanded across more than 600 districts over the past decade.
How Ethanol Blending Has Reduced India’s Oil Imports
PM Modi said India’s push for ethanol blending and biofuels is a key strategy to reduce petroleum dependence.
He noted that blending levels have increased from around 1–1.5% before 2014 to nearly 20% today.
According to the Prime Minister, the initiative has significantly reduced oil imports.
India has avoided purchasing 18 crore barrels of oil over the past 11 years.
The country currently reduces oil imports by about 4.5 crore barrels annually.
“The country has saved about ₹1.5 lakh crore from ethanol blending alone,” he said.
How India’s Renewable Energy Has Seen Rapid Growth, PM Modi Shares The Progress At NXT Summit 2026
The Prime Minister also highlighted progress in renewable energy and railway electrification, calling them key drivers of fuel savings and sustainability.
He noted that while only 20% of the railway network was electrified by 2014, nearly the entire broad-gauge network is now electrified.
This transition helped Indian Railways save around 180 crore litres of diesel in 2024–25, reducing the need for crude oil imports.
India’s renewable energy capacity has also seen rapid growth.
Total renewable capacity has crossed 250 gigawatts.
Solar power capacity has surged from 2 GW in 2014 to about 130 GW today.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which has enabled 30 lakh families to install rooftop solar systems.
“Our total renewable capacity today has crossed the historic figure of 250 gigawatts and half of our installed power generation capacity now comes from renewable sources,” he said.
PM Modi On Bio-Gas And Strategic Petroleum Reserves
PM Modi said India is also expanding its waste-to-energy ecosystem through the GOBARdhan scheme.
More than 100 Compressed Bio-Gas plants are currently operational, with 600 more under development.
He added that India has also strengthened its refining and storage capabilities.
Strategic petroleum reserves now exceed 50 lakh tonnes.
Refining capacity has increased by more than 40 million tonnes over the past decade.
The Prime Minister said these structural changes will help India withstand the impact of global energy shocks.
“We will certainly be able to face the crisis created by this war and continue our work to make India self-reliant on a massive scale,” he said.
PM Modi Calls For Unity Amid Global Conflicts
The Prime Minister noted that the current global conflict near India’s region has triggered an energy crisis affecting countries worldwide.
He described the situation as a test of national resilience and called for collective responsibility from political parties, the media and industry.
Recalling the unified national response during the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi said similar cooperation is needed to tackle current challenges.
“We must make collective efforts and perform our duties by keeping the national interest supreme,” he said.
The Prime Minister cited the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example of how the government has previously shielded citizens from global price shocks.
During the crisis, international fertiliser prices surged dramatically. Despite this, the government ensured farmers continued receiving a bag of urea at ₹300, even though the global price reached ₹3,000 per bag.
“This time too, our every possible effort will be to ensure that the war has the minimum possible impact on the lives of the country’s farmers and citizens,” he said.
PM Modi Calls States To Prevent Black Marketing Of LPG
The Prime Minister also urged state governments to maintain strict vigilance against black marketing and misinformation around round LPG availability
Prime Minister said some people are spreading fear regarding LPG for their own agenda and that such behaviour exposes them before the public while damaging national interests.
He said authorities must closely monitor markets to prevent artificial shortages and price manipulation.
“It is essential that serious monitoring of the situation is conducted and strict action is taken against those engaging in black marketing,” he said.
‘Viksit Bharat’ Vision And India’s Global Role
During his address at the NXT event, PM Modi also drew parallels between the historic Dandi March of 1930 and India’s modern-day development journey.
Marking the anniversary of the march, he said the freedom movement once united the country and the same spirit now drives the mission of building a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).
“Nearly 100 years after that historic journey, we Indians have set out on a new journey once again for a Viksit Bharat,” he said.
The Prime Minister also pointed to growing global confidence in India’s economic future.
He said leaders and experts across the world increasingly see India as a major driver of the emerging global order.
Citing international voices, PM Modi said Finland President Alexander Stubb recently noted that the direction of the world will increasingly be shaped by the Global South, while Canada’s Mark Carney has described India as the centre toward which global economic gravity will shift over the coming decades.
He also said French President Emmanuel Macron sees India as a crucial partner in solving global challenges.
“If you want to be part of the future, you must be associated with India and you must be in India,” the Prime Minister said.
‘Next Level’ India: Reforms And Digital Transformation
The Prime Minister said India has moved beyond incremental progress and is now entering what he described as a “next level” phase of development.
He highlighted the rapid expansion of digital payments through UPI, which has made India the global leader in real-time digital transactions.
“Today, India has become the country with the fastest real-time digital payments in the world,” he said.
PM Modi also pointed to several structural reforms and initiatives, including:
The abrogation of Article 370
Opening bank accounts for over 50 crore citizens through Jan Dhan
The law providing 33% reservation for women in legislatures
India has also launched major technology missions, including those focused on space exploration, semiconductors and quantum computing.
“Moon Mission, Semiconductor Mission and Quantum Mission are taking India toward the next frontier of technology,” he said.
Governance And Internal Security Gains
The Prime Minister said the last decade has focused on inclusive governance, particularly targeting previously neglected regions.
Through initiatives such as the Aspirational District Programme and PM JANMAN, the government has expanded access to housing, healthcare and education in remote areas.
He also pointed to improvements in internal security.
According to PM Modi:
Districts affected by Maoist violence have fallen from more than 180 in 2013 to single digits today.
Over 2,100 Naxals have surrendered in the past year.
More than 300 hardcore militants have been neutralised
He said development has begun returning to previously conflict-affected regions.
PM Makes Cricket Analogy To Explain India’s Growth Momentum
Drawing a parallel with India’s passion for cricket, the Prime Minister said public interest in the country’s development has reached unprecedented levels. He remarked that just as citizens closely follow a T-20 World Cup score, people now seek a “running commentary” on India’s economic progress. According to him, this growing curiosity reflects the rising aspirations and confidence of Indians, which is strengthening global trust in the country’s future.
“When so many expectations are attached and the world is looking at our country, our responsibility increases significantly,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi On Confidence In India’s Future
Concluding his address, PM Modi expressed confidence that the collective strength of 140 crore Indians would help the country navigate global uncertainties.
Drawing comparisons to India’s response during the pandemic, he said the same unity and resilience will guide the country through the current crisis.
“In our every decision, the interest of the public will be paramount,” he said.
Reaffirming his commitment to the country’s long-term goals, the Prime Minister added, “India will become self-reliant in every sector and India will become developed in every circumstance.”
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