India has demonstrated strong preparedness to navigate sustained geopolitical volatility in global energy markets while remaining firmly at the centre of global energy dialogue, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri said at the Closing Ceremony of India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 in Goa.

Speaking during the closing fireside chat, the Union Minister underlined that India’s energy strategy is anchored in diversification, resilience and forward-looking transitions. “India has coped very well with successive geopolitical shocks. Each challenge has been converted into an opportunity—through diversification of supply sources and a rapid transition towards cleaner fuels,” Shri Puri said.

Highlighting India’s growing global standing, he noted that the country is today the world’s third-largest energy consumer, fourth-largest refiner and among the leading exporters of petroleum products. “India will continue to ensure availability, affordability and sustainability of energy, even amid global uncertainty,” he added.

Following the Minister, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, outlined the government’s roadmap to support India’s projected economic growth of over 7 percent. He emphasised strengthening domestic exploration and production to enhance energy self-reliance, alongside positioning India as a reliable global supplier of refined products. Dr. Mittal also highlighted the growing role of digitalisation, artificial intelligence and logistics optimisation in improving operational efficiency and resilience across the energy value chain.

The closing day also marked the culmination of IEW 2026 with awards recognising innovation, technological excellence and leadership across startups, academia and industry.

Under AVINYA – The Energy Startup Challenge, Minimines Cleantech Solutions emerged as the winner, recognised for its proprietary HHM process enabling low-carbon recovery of high-value materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, with applications extending to solar panels, catalytic converters and permanent magnets.

The VASUDHA – Overseas Upstream Startup Challenge was won by SENERGETICS, The Netherlands, for its AI-driven corrosion monitoring solutions that enhance safety, reliability and sustainability in upstream operations.

The Hackathon Challenge was won by IIT Bombay for Aura, an AI-powered unified reservoir analysis platform that integrates advanced machine learning to improve exploration and production decision-making.

Industry excellence was recognised through the FIPI/IIP Annual Awards, with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) named Exploration Company of the Year and Oil India Limited awarded Oil & Gas Production Company of the Year (Over 1 MTOE). Reliance Industries Limited’s SEZ Refinery at Jamnagar was recognised as Refinery of the Year, while innovation leadership was jointly awarded to Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s R&D Division and Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Limited’s Innovation Center.

India Energy Week 2026 concluded by reinforcing India’s position as a steady, credible and pragmatic energy leader—capable of balancing energy security, affordability and sustainability—while fostering innovation and global collaboration across the energy ecosystem.

About India Energy Week

India Energy Week is the country’s flagship global energy platform, bringing together government leaders, industry executives and innovators to accelerate progress toward a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future. As a neutral international forum, IEW drives investment, policy alignment and technological collaboration shaping the global energy landscape.

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