Shell to expand integrated gas, GCC footprint in India: Mansi Tripathy

The $289 billion energy major plans to sign more LNG deals and expand global capability centres, while strengthening its lubricants business in India

British energy major Shell aims to scale up operations in India, with plans to deepen its footprint in the gas ecosystem and expand global capability centres (GCCs), Mansi Tripathy, senior vice president for APAC lubricants and country chair, Shell India, said in an interview with Business Standard.

 

Shell India, part of the global $289 billion enterprise, plans to sign more liquefied natural gas (LNG) deals with local players and boost the capacity of its five million tonnes per annum (MTPA) LNG regasification terminal at Hazira, Surat, for an integrated gas business in the country, said Tripathy, without disclosing details of the deals. Shell supplied around 10 per cent of the 26.6 million tonnes of LNG imported by India in 2024. 

“We are working with the government and industry partners to utilise gas in newer ways. We are focusing on gas-to-power, using LNG in the transport sector and bringing gas under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to increase usage in the country,” said Tripathy.

 

Indian energy companies are signing multiple LNG deals with global players to secure supplies amid the country's rising energy demand and the government’s ambition of increasing the share of gas to 15 per cent in the total energy mix from the current 6 per cent. India is also developing gas infrastructure, including LNG terminals and pipelines, to cater to the country’s rising gas demand.

 

Besides the gas business, Tripathy said Shell sees India as its hub for global capability centres, with almost 70 per cent of the company’s financial and IT operations and 30–40 per cent of its GCCs based in the country. The company has three capability centres in India located in Bengaluru and Chennai.

 

Shell, which is the largest supplier of finished lubricants in the world, aims to strengthen its lubricants business in India. Tripathy said the company plans to not only offer products but also services such as liquid maintenance, total fluid management (TFM), and predictive information to customers, while venturing into battery storage fluids and animal vaccines.

 

The company provides products to over 50,000 outlets in India through more than 200 distributors. “We want to expand the number of outlets and our outreach to mechanics. Currently, we reach around one lakh mechanics and have close to 25 per cent fully owned Shell workshops. We want to expand that as well,” said Tripathy.

 

To solidify its presence in India’s lubricant market, Shell acquired a 100 per cent stake in Mumbai-based Raj Petro Specialities in 2025.

 

On the renewable energy front, Tripathy said Shell is reviewing its strategy for Sprng Energy, amid media reports that the company is considering a full exit from the Indian clean energy firm. Shell had acquired Sprng Energy in a $1.55 billion deal in 2022. The company develops and operates solar, wind, and hybrid power projects, and currently has 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in operation and another 1.9 GW under construction.