The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to reach $100 per barrel and disrupted gas supplies. The current crisis in West Asia serves as both a warning and an opportunity. We must not treat this only as a crisis management exercise. In the past, notably during Covid-19 and in the past year, we have used moments of external stress to accelerate internal transformation.

First, India must treat energy sovereignty as a core national mission. For too long, the country’s macroeconomic stability has depended on geopolitics and its impact on global energy markets. Over the past decade, we have laid a strong foundation for energy sovereignty. As of November 2025, non-fossil installed capacity had reached 262.7 GW, with renewable energy capacity at 254 GW. Solar, wind, storage, transmission, offshore wind, and pumped hydro — all of which can be harnessed domestically — must now expand in a coordinated and integrated manner.

Unlike fossil fuels, where we remain import dependent, India is climatically blessed with solar, onshore wind and offshore wind as fully domestic resources. Our climate conditions are far superior to those of China, giving us a natural advantage in these renewables. Yet, in 2025, while China added 430 GW of solar capacity, India added just 50 GW. We should raise our 2030 target for non-fossil power from 500 GW to 1,500 GW. Only at this scale can we decisively reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Second, India must build the industrial base for the energy transition. The National Green Hydrogen Mission is designed precisely for........

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