Puri Meets OPEC Delegation, Skirts Issue of Galloping Crude

·         Meeting co-chaired by: H.E. Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and H.E. Haitham Al Ghais, OPEC Secretary General.

·         Key issues discussed:

o    Oil market stability

o    Energy security

o    Adequate and timely investment across the oil industry

o    Short-, medium- and long-term outlook for the oil market.

·         India’s growing energy role: Both sides highlighted India’s crucial role in global economic expansion and energy-demand growth.

·         India-OPEC relationship: Hardeep Singh Puri described the relationship between India and OPEC as naturally complementary and mutually beneficial, emphasizing India’s longstanding engagement with OPEC and its Member Countries.

·         India as a major energy-demand driver: Puri stated that, as one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, India will remain an important driver of global energy demand in the coming decades.

·         Producer-consumer dialogue: India stressed that sustained dialogue between oil producers and consumers is essential to:

o    Support investment;

o    Strengthen energy resilience; and

o    Ensure reliable energy supplies for global economic growth.

·         Stable and predictable markets: India appreciated OPEC's efforts to promote stability and transparency amid geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility, and called for closer cooperation to advance a balanced, stable and predictable global energy market.

·         OPEC's view of India: OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said dialogue with India is a priority for OPEC, reflecting India's increasing importance in the global energy landscape.

·         11 years of dialogue: The OPEC-India Energy Dialogue has completed 11 years, having been launched in New Delhi in 2015.

·         Common priorities: Al Ghais praised India's balanced, realistic and pragmatic approach to energy challenges and noted that many of India's energy priorities are also OPEC's priorities.

·         International cooperation: OPEC commended India's commitment to international collaboration and dialogue as a means of addressing major global challenges.

·         Progress acknowledged: The meeting recognized progress achieved under the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue, including cooperation at the technical level.

·         Deeper energy cooperation: Both sides emphasized the importance of developing even deeper energy cooperation between India and OPEC.

·         Next high-level meeting: It was agreed that the 8th High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue will be held in Vienna, Austria, on a mutually convenient date.

Key Takeaway

India and OPEC reaffirmed their long-term energy partnership, focusing on oil-market stability, energy security, investment and reliable supplies, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation through the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue.

 

[ABS News Service/23.09.2026]

The Meeting was co-chaired by HE Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and HE Haitham Al Ghais, OPEC Secretary General.

Discussions focused on oil market stability, energy security and the importance of adequate and timely investment across the oil industry. Both parties reviewed the short-, medium- and long-term outlooks, underscoring India's crucial role in global economic expansion and energy demand growth.

In his remarks, HE Hardeep Singh Puri underlined that India and OPEC share a naturally complementary and mutually beneficial relationship and thanked Secretary General for his contribution in strengthening this partnership. He emphasized that India values its longstanding engagement with OPEC and its Member Countries, which has contributed significantly to mutual understanding and cooperation on key energy issues.

He noted that “As one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, India will remain an important driver of global energy demand in the decades ahead. A sustained dialogue between producers and consumers is essential to support investment, strengthen energy resilience and ensure reliable energy supplies for global growth and development.”

Appreciating OPEC's efforts towards promoting stability and transparency in global energy markets during a period marked by geopolitical uncertainties and market volatility, he called on OPEC and India to work closely in advancing a balanced, stable and predictable global energy market.

In his remarks, HE Al Ghais stated that “Dialogue with India is a priority for OPEC because we recognize India’s importance within the current global energy landscape and the fact that this importance will only increase in the decades ahead”. He added that the “OPEC-India Energy Dialogue is eleven years strong, having been launched in New Delhi in 2015”.

The Secretary General commended India’s balanced, realistic and pragmatic approach to addressing energy challenges, emphasizing that “many of India’s energy priorities are OPEC’s priorities”.

HE Al Ghais also praised the Indian Government's firm commitment to international collaboration and dialogue. He stressed, “What is particularly heartening about our dialogue is the fact that the Indian Government has consistently advocated diplomacy and dialogue as the means of resolving the great challenges of our age”.

HE Al Ghais thanked all participants for their valuable contributions. He also expressed the OPEC Secretariat’s sincere gratitude to HE Hardeep Singh Puri for the gracious hospitality extended to the OPEC delegation.

The Meeting commended the progress achieved to date within the framework of the dialogue, including at the technical level. It concluded with both parties underscoring the vital importance of fostering even deeper energy cooperation between OPEC and India.

It was agreed to hold the 8th High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue at a mutually convenient date in Vienna, Austria.