CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News /Agencies/ Bhopal: New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, taking a firm position on the global energy crisis, has said deliberate attacks on energy trade and infrastructure are a calculated strategy to keep prices under control. He said the world is currently struggling not with a shortage of production, but with uncertainty in energy supplies, disruptions, rising prices and challenges in access to fuel.
Jaishankar raised the issue on Friday at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting held in Atlanta in the United States. The meeting was hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Jaishankar said G20 countries would have to show collective leadership to keep energy markets open, stable and reliable.
Questioning sanctions and disruptions to sea routes, the External Affairs Minister said global markets are being continuously affected by sanctions, trade barriers and obstacles emerging on critical maritime routes for energy transport. The frequency and complexity of these disruptions are increasing, while their impact is reaching more countries than before.
He also questioned differing rules and selective exemptions in oil and gas trade. Jaishankar said the policies of one country in the global market also affect other countries. Therefore, the wider consequences of decisions related to energy supplies and the interdependence of countries should not be ignored.
Jaishankar said low-income countries bear the greatest pressure from disruptions in energy supplies and inflation. Such countries have limited resources to absorb the burden of costly fuel. He urged the G20 to prioritise the needs of developing countries while keeping energy markets stable.
Referring to India’s energy requirements, the External Affairs Minister said the country needs a regular and reliable supply of LPG for clean cooking arrangements. He also mentioned India’s National Critical Mineral Mission, under which work is being done to strengthen the entire process from mineral exploration to recycling.
Jaishankar proposed an initiative before the G20 related to the recycling of critical minerals. He also underlined the need to increase financial support to promote technologies such as energy storage, small modular nuclear reactors, green hydrogen and biofuels.
Jaishankar also emphasised giving priority to diplomacy rather than military action to resolve global challenges. He stressed the need to ensure freedom of maritime routes and to stop attacks on ships. According to him, energy security is not only a matter of the availability of oil and gas, but is directly linked to the global economy, food and fertiliser supplies, and the economic condition of ordinary people.
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