India has seen a major increase in use of LPG
Letter from India: Prosperity and sustainability make uneasy bedfellows
Burgeoning middle class and long-term growth from a low base at odds with energy transition efforts
Visits to India never fail to leave the impression of fast growth, dynamism and people in a hurry to get richer. The big-picture numbers are certainly impressive: GDP growth is likely to be about 5% in 2023 and 6% in 2024, according to OECD data. Looking ahead, the pace could accelerate even further to 7% through the rest of the decade. India surpassed China earlier this year to become the world’s most populous country, with more than 1.43b people. The population will continue to grow to 2063, when it will peak at 1.66b, according to the UN. The proportion of the population living in energy-hungry cities will grow from 36% in 2022 to 53% in 2050, while per capita income is expected to triple
Also in this section
7 January 2026
No longer can the energy source be considered a sidekick to oil in the Middle East and neither should it step aside for less convincing alternatives
7 January 2026
The global race for critical minerals has become a defining feature of energy geopolitics, presenting the ASEAN region with both opportunity and risk
7 January 2026
As global energy systems evolve to meet shifting demand and transition pressures, maintaining reliable hydrocarbon supply remains essential to energy security
6 January 2026
Cash will be needed to boost production by 30% to meet region’s rapidly rising power demand, executives told the inaugural Middle East Gas Conference in December
