US President Donald Trump has said that the United States is the world’s leading energy producer, emphasising that the country is fast emerging as a “massive energy exporter.”
Speaking at the Champion of Coal event on Wednesday, Trump stated that recent trade agreements with countries such as Japan, South Korea and India have significantly boosted American coal exports.
“America is now the number one energy producer in the world. We’re becoming a massive energy exporter. In just the past few months, we’ve made historic trade deals with Japan, Korea, India and others to increase our coal exports dramatically. The quality of our coal is supposed to be the finest anywhere in the world,” he said.
His remarks came days after, on February 9, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that “national interest” would continue to guide India’s energy-related decisions. He underlined that adequate availability, fair pricing and reliability of supply remain the key pillars of India’s energy policy, amid reports that New Delhi may be reducing oil imports from Russia.
Addressing a Special Briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Misri said decisions in the energy sector—whether taken by the government or by companies—are guided by national interest, while clarifying that procurement decisions are made by oil companies based on market dynamics.
He explained that oil companies assess multiple factors, including availability, risk evaluation, cost considerations and logistical aspects, while adhering to internal accountability mechanisms and fiduciary responsibilities.
“As far as the actual sourcing of energy is concerned, this is undertaken by oil companies, which make decisions based on market conditions. They assess availability, evaluate risks, analyse costs and follow their internal accountability processes and fiduciary responsibilities. At any given time, there is a complex matrix of financial and logistical considerations that must be taken into account,” Misri said.
He added that business choices in the sector would continue to be shaped by these factors and reiterated that national interest would remain paramount in guiding both governmental and corporate decisions.
Misri also noted that India is a net importer of oil and gas and, as a developing economy, must remain mindful of resource availability and the impact of import dependence on inflation. (Agencies)
