New Delhi, April 18 -- Energy has always shaped the fortunes of nations. In today's world of escalating tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, energy has also emerged as a fault line of vulnerability.

For a rapidly growing economy such as India, reliable and affordable energy is inseparable from economic progress, industrial expansion and national resilience.

Yet the country's continued dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes it to risks far beyond its borders.

In 2025, India's oil and gas import bill approached $140 billion, underscoring why energy independence is moving to the centre of economic policy.

A significant share of this vulnerability stems from the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage through which roughly 20% ...