India Energy Week 2026 to spotlight policy reforms, energy stability and investment flows

New Delhi: India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 is poised to be the largest edition of the global energy conclave since its inception in 2013, with over 75,000 delegates, more than 600 exhibitors, and participants from across the international energy ecosystem expected to converge in Goa later this month. The four-day event, scheduled from January 27 to 30 at the ONGC Academy of Training and Infrastructure (ATI), will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, financiers, technology providers, and researchers at a critical juncture marked by heightened global focus on energy security, sustainability, and transition strategies.

Spanning more than 23,000 square metres of exhibition space, the event will showcase cutting-edge innovations across the entire energy value chain, including advanced renewable technologies, digital solutions, and emerging fuels. Eleven thematic zones will include areas such as digitalisation and artificial intelligence, hydrogen economy, renewables, petrochemicals, biofuels, liquefied natural gas (LNG), city gas distribution, and India’s ambitious net-zero roadmap targeting carbon neutrality by 2060. New to this edition are dedicated zones for nuclear energy, hosted by the World Nuclear Association, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), led by IndianOil, reflecting the expanding scope of the global energy transition debate.

The international footprint of IEW 2026 is reinforced by 11 country pavilions, representing nations including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Russia, and China, emphasizing collaborative energy partnerships. The conference program features over 120 sessions with more than 500 speakers from governments, multinational energy corporations, financial institutions, academia, and cutting-edge technology firms.

As the first major global energy event of 2026, IEW arrives at a crucial moment characterised by geopolitical tensions, investment uncertainties, and urgent decarbonisation objectives. Discussions are expected to focus heavily on balancing energy security with feasible transition pathways and creating stable investment environments to support innovation and growth.

Ministerial participation remains a highlight of the event. Seventeen ministers and deputy ministers from countries including the UAE, Canada, Oman, the Netherlands, and Russia have confirmed their attendance, alongside representatives from international organisations like the International Energy Forum (IEF) and BIMSTEC. The strategic conference will feature ministerial sessions, leadership panels, and exclusive bilateral meetings addressing global energy priorities and India’s evolving leadership role.

Addressing media and delegates in New Delhi ahead of the event, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri emphasised that IEW’s strength lies not only in its scale but also in its ability to generate tangible outcomes.

“What sets IEW apart is not just its size, but the fact that it encompasses the entire energy spectrum. Innovation is no longer just a side conversation; it has become a sector in its own right,” he stated. He also highlighted BPCL’s recent development of an indigenous electrolyser as an example of ideas progressing “rapidly from policy vision to on-ground execution”.

Beyond dialogue, IEW 2026 is expected to catalyse significant commercial agreements. Among the anticipated deals are shipbuilding contracts involving ONGC, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Samsung Heavy Industries; a $780 million crude oil supply agreement between BPCL and Brazil’s Petrobras; and multiple memoranda of understanding with TotalEnergies covering LNG sourcing and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects.

Puri also highlighted recent policy reforms aimed at attracting investment, including the opening of nearly one million square kilometres of sedimentary basins for exploration and an overhaul of India’s oil and gas regulatory framework. “We need to move away from the old mindset that pits producers against consumers. Today, both have a shared stake in a stable, viable, and predictable energy system,” he said, emphasising that extreme price volatility ultimately harms both sides and discourages investment.

A key feature of IEW 2026 is the Roundtable, where global energy CEOs will engage directly with Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs) and private sector leaders. This closed-door forum will include 13 foreign CEOs, five Indian private sector leaders, and nine Indian PSUs, with companies such as TotalEnergies, bp, Vitol, HD Hyundai, Aker, LanzaTech, Trafigura, ReNew, MOL, and Praj participating. The discussions are expected to focus on long-term investment signals, technology collaboration, and India’s strategic role as a stable demand hub in the global energy landscape.

The event will also conduct bilateral and plurilateral dialogues aimed at strengthening strategic energy partnerships. These include the India-Arab Energy Dialogue, co-chaired by the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the IEF, reflecting India’s engagement with key hydrocarbon suppliers and investors. The India-Japan Roundtable will build on discussions held in Tokyo in November 2025, focusing on shipbuilding, LNG, hydrogen, and advanced energy technologies.

Additional engagements include India-Iceland discussions on geothermal energy and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage; an India-Netherlands roundtable on clean energy cooperation and transition technologies; and a joint India-U.S. roundtable organised with USIBC and USISPF to boost trade, investment, and technology exchange.

Puri noted that India’s diversified crude sourcing, now from approximately 41 countries, has strengthened energy resilience, while recent regulatory reforms have bolstered investor confidence. “Energy is the lifeline of an economy. As India continues to grow, its energy consumption will rise, making it an increasingly attractive destination for global energy investment,” he said.

With high-level participation, expanding scale, and a focus on actionable outcomes, India Energy Week 2026 aims to reinforce India’s position as a central hub for global energy cooperation amid the ongoing transition in the world’s energy landscape.