GS Paper II 2025 · Q19
15 marks · 250 words Other countries' policies & the diaspora X-Ray · Core #31“Energy security constitutes the dominant kingpin of India’s foreign policy, and is linked with India’s overarching influence in Middle Eastern countries.” How would you integrate energy security with India’s foreign policy trajectories in the coming years?
Approach · directive: “how would you integrate”
What it asks · Assess the claim about energy's centrality to India's West Asia policy, then propose how energy security should be built into India's future diplomacy.
It asks 2 things — answer each
- Assess: how far energy security is the 'kingpin' of India's foreign policy and the source of its influence in West Asia
- How would you integrate: concrete ways to build energy security into India's foreign policy in the coming years
Open with · India imports more than four-fifths of its crude oil, much of it from the Gulf, so energy runs through its West Asia policy; it is a pillar of India's influence there, not the only one.
Cover
- Linkage: Gulf crude and LNG, strategic partnerships with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, about nine million Indians in the Gulf.
- Qualification: security, trade, technology and diaspora welfare also drive policy; India balances Israel and Iran.
- Diversify suppliers: Russia, the US, Guyana, Africa; long-term LNG contracts such as Qatar's.
- Reserves and upstream: 5.33 MMT strategic reserves (Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur), overseas equity oil, local-currency trade.
- Routes: IMEC (G20 New Delhi, 2023), INSTC and Chabahar, naval protection of Gulf and Red Sea lanes.
- Transition diplomacy: ISA, the India-led Global Biofuel Alliance (2023), green hydrogen, Minerals Security Partnership; neighbourhood grids (hub diagram).
Close with · The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to cut a cumulative ₹1 lakh crore of fossil fuel imports by 2030; energy diplomacy should keep West Asia central today and make the clean-energy transition India's anchor tomorrow.
Add value (verified)
- India's underground strategic petroleum reserves hold 5.33 MMT of crude at Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT).Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme - PIB, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, 3 August 2023 ↗“The underground SPR storages have a total capacity of 5.33 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of crude oil and are located in 2 States namely (i) Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (1.33 MMT), (ii) Mangaluru (1.5MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT) in Karnataka.”
- IMEC, launched at the G20 New Delhi summit (9 September 2023): an Eastern Corridor (India–Gulf) and a Northern Corridor (Gulf–Europe).Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) & IMEC - PIB, Prime Minister's Office, 9 September 2023 ↗“The IMEC comprises of an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe.”
- The Global Biofuel Alliance was launched on 9 September 2023 at the New Delhi G20 as India's initiative as G20 Chair.Launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) - PIB, 9 September 2023 ↗“launched the Global Biofuel Alliance on 9 September 2023, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) is an initiative by India as the G20 Chair.”
- National Green Hydrogen Mission: expected to cut a cumulative ₹1 lakh crore of fossil fuel imports by 2030.India's Petroleum Industry - PIB backgrounder, January 2025 ↗“Achievement of Mission targets is expected to contribute to India’s energy security and reduce a cumulative ₹ 1 lakh crore worth of fossil fuel imports by 2030”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2025, GS Paper II — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 337words · Minimalist IAS
India imports more than four-fifths of its crude oil, much of it from the Gulf, so energy runs through its West Asia policy. The claim is largely right, but energy is one pillar of India's influence there, not the only one.
How far energy is the 'kingpin' in West Asia
- Supply: Gulf producers supply much of India's crude and LNG; the UAE and Saudi Arabia are strategic partners, and Qatar a long-term LNG supplier.
- People and capital: about nine million Indians work in the Gulf and send large remittances home.
- Qualification: security cooperation, trade, technology and diaspora welfare also drive policy, and India balances ties with Israel and Iran; energy is a pillar, not the sole kingpin.
Integrating energy security with future foreign policy
- Diversify suppliers: keep Russian, US, Guyanese and African crude alongside the Gulf, and lock in long-term LNG contracts such as Qatar's.
- Reserves and upstream: expand the 5.33 MMT strategic petroleum reserves at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur, buy overseas equity oil, and settle trade in rupees or local currencies.
- Corridors and sea lanes: the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, agreed at the New Delhi G20 in 2023, links India to the Gulf and on to Europe; INSTC and Chabahar open a northern route; naval deployments protect Gulf and Red Sea shipping.
- Transition diplomacy: the International Solar Alliance, the India-led Global Biofuel Alliance (2023), green hydrogen partnerships with Gulf states, and critical-mineral supply chains through the Minerals Security Partnership.
- Neighbourhood grids: power trade with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and One Sun One World One Grid, make neighbours energy partners.
- Institutions: an energy-diplomacy cell linking the External Affairs, Petroleum and Renewable Energy ministries, and an energy chapter in every strategic partnership.
Energy security in foreign policy: Diverse suppliers; Reserves and equity oil; Corridors and sea lanes; Clean-energy alliances; Regional grids
The National Green Hydrogen Mission alone aims to save a cumulative ₹1 lakh crore of fossil fuel imports by 2030. India's energy diplomacy should keep West Asia central today while making the clean-energy transition its anchor tomorrow.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
