Minister Manohar Lal outlined India’s energy reforms, minerals priorities and cooperation.
India Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, led India’s delegation to the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting in Houston, United States, from 14 to 16 September 2026 under the U.S. G20 Presidency. Discussions focused on energy security and affordable baseload, permitting and regulatory efficiency, and critical minerals with resilient supply chains.
During the meeting, Minister Manohar Lal said secure, affordable and reliable energy remained essential for development, particularly in developing economies. He highlighted India’s efforts to build a more resilient, digital, decentralised and consumer-focused energy system. India’s installed electricity generation capacity had reached 552 GW, with more than half coming from non-fossil fuel sources. He also referred to India’s early achievement of key Nationally Determined Contribution targets and its Net Zero target for 2070.
The Minister also outlined reforms intended to improve regulatory efficiency, encourage competition and support investment in the energy sector. He cited the National Single Window System, PARIVESH and PM Gati Shakti as initiatives helping streamline infrastructure approvals. On critical minerals, he stressed the need for secure and diversified supply chains, greater circularity and more downstream value creation in developing countries. India’s National Critical Mineral Mission covered activities from exploration through recycling, while India called for G20 cooperation on recovery, recycling and diversification.
The ministerial meeting advanced outcomes in four main areas: clean cooking access, permitting and regulatory efficiency, water reuse and critical minerals. On clean cooking, the G20 promoted universal access through technology-neutral and nationally appropriate solutions, recognising Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as an important pathway for developing countries. On permitting and regulatory efficiency, members supported streamlined processes, voluntary information exchange, capacity building and digital and AI-enabled tools to facilitate energy infrastructure development. The G20 Water Reuse Initiative promoted science- and evidence-based, cost-effective water reuse suited to national policies and local needs. On critical minerals, the G20 Critical Minerals Meeting Communiqué highlighted innovation, circularity, investment, diversification, value addition and resilient supply chains.
On the sidelines, Minister Manohar Lal also met Mr. Chris Wright, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy; Mr. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior; and Mr. Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India
