'Music to my ears': Hardeep Singh Puri on Trump admin's stance on energy

Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri made the statement during a panel session on the inaugural day of the four-day India Energy Week 2025

The focus of Donald Trump's new administration on energy and its stance that "more energy should come on the market while the prices should go down" is music to my ears, said Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on the inaugural day of the four-day India Energy Week 2025.

 

Puri made the statement during a panel session when he was asked about the energy landscape since Trump's inauguration as US President. "For a country like India, which is both a consumer and a producer of oil, prices going down is good news. Even though our marketing companies get upset when the prices go down as it becomes too difficult for them to maintain a healthy balance sheet.  However, as a minister, I am very happy with the oil price coming down."

   

Puri also spoke about his 'Trump connection' at the event. He said, "I served for 39 years in the Indian foreign service term. I was a permanent representative to the United Nations. During my time in New York, I had the privilege of knowing President Trump even when he was not the President. I had the privilege of living in the Trump Tower. He used to visit us every year." 

When asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss nuclear energy, including small and modular reactors, during his meeting with US President Donald Trump this week, Puri said, “Oh absolutely! It is on the agenda.” 

 

Notably, the Indian government has pledged billions of dollar for research, and is amending laws to lure private capital and boost the sector’s growth. However, the nuclear industry in India has been stymied in part due to safety concerns, but also because of a nuclear liability law that holds operators and equipment suppliers liable for damages in case of an accident.

 

Earlier in the day (February 11), Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the event. He said that India's energy sector is pivotal to the country's growth ambitions. “Every expert in the world is saying that the 21st Century belongs to India. India is not only driving its own growth but also driving the world's growth, and our energy sector plays a very big role in this,” PM Modi said in a virtual address to the India Energy Week 2025.

 

Next two decades crucial for India: PM Modi

 

“The next two decades are very crucial for 'Viksit Bharat'. In the next five years, we will be crossing several big milestones,” he said. PM Modi reiterated India’s target to add 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity and achieve net-zero carbon emissions for Indian Railways by 2030. “Our targets may look very ambitious; however, whatever India has achieved in the last 10 years gives us the confidence that we will achieve these targets too,” he added.

 

The PM highlighted five key pillars underpinning India's energy ambitions -- resource harnessing, fostering innovation, economic strength with political stability, strategic geography, and a commitment to global sustainability.

 

Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines of IEW’25, Puri highlighted India’s growing stature in the global energy landscape. He added that IEW’25 is set to be even larger, more diverse, and more impactful than its previous two editions. Covering over 1 lakh square meters, IEW’25 will be the second-largest energy event globally in terms of ministerial and CEO participation, exhibition space, and the number of sessions.

 

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the event’s opening, Puri announced that the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas will host a Clean Cooking Ministerial during the event, bringing together global policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to accelerate the transition to clean cooking solutions.

 

The event will showcase India’s success with the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) as a model for global adoption. It aims to foster international collaboration, drive policy discussions, and facilitate technology sharing to ensure clean, affordable, and accessible cooking energy for households worldwide.  (With PIB inputs)