Maj Gen A K Chaturvedi - Role of Pakistan in Indias Energy Security: An Issue Brief

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Copyright Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), New Delhi

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India is short of energy despite one of the lowest per capita energy consumption. It is indeed of interest that most of the forms of energy which are part of the present Energy Matrix of India, suffer from some problem or the other. These are either due to quality of resource (coal), shortage of resource (Natural Uranium, Petroleum based resources), lack of technologies for indigenous resources (Thorium, renewable sources), shortage of adequate infrastructure for their exploitation (entire country not yet connected by power grid, internal network of pipelines). Next major issue is that the gestation period for the growth of most of the desired technologies to exploit local resources is quite long and as such there is a need to go for exploitation of resources which are either readily available or can be exploited by resorting to import of energy resources. This is where Natural Gas assumes importance and has potential for exploitation in short to medium term. In this connection import from West Asia and Central Asia holds good promise. Pakistan has a very pivotal position in the import of natural gas from either of the two sources. Involving Pakistan while may be froth with danger due to volatile situation in that country or an persisting anti Indian sentiments existing there, but another way to look at it would be that such a relationship may give boost to Pakistans economy and enhance interdependence between the two countries leading to improvement in the relations. This paper attempts to examine all these related issues.

Energy is one of the main drivers for the growth of a country which entails among other things economic growth. The sustained economic strength is one of the most important elements of the demonstrated Comprehensive National Power (CNP) of a nation. It is therefore essential that a nation which wishes to enhance its CNP makes a concerted effort to ensure provision of energy for all its activities related to growth and also to meet the needs of its citizens. Energy Security of the nation is the measure of the sustained availability of energy to link demand and supply equation in such a way that the outcome is not negative.

India is although endowed with enough energy bearing resources but presently its energy availability to meet its growing demand without import is not feasible. This gap between potential and reality needs to be bridged. While a long term solution needs to be worked out by the planners to exploit indigenous resources, a simultaneous effort to ensure sustained availability of energy in the form for which technologies are indigenously available needs to be pursued in short and medium term. Import, in such a contingency, is the answer, particularly of those resources for which technologies for exploitation are readily available. Oil and natural gas are those desired resources. Due to certain geo-political developments and technological innovations the natural gas is becoming an attractive option. But abundant natural gas from land route is available either in Iran or Central Asia. Transportation of gas from either region entails its travel through Pakistan. Therefore, it becomes essential to examine the viability of such an option. However, arriving at the decision to transport gas through Pakistan and thereafter build infrastructure will have certain gestation period therefore what could be the solution for the interim. Recent technological breakthrough by the US in the field of Shale Gas has thrown up new options for India in the field of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports. Can India exploit this new geo-economic development?

To examine all these issues, the CENJOWS had tasked Maj Gen (Retd) AK Chaturvedi, AVSM, and VSM. The present Issue Brief is an outcome of his research. The author has attempted to look at the issue in entirety and hopefully his research will be able to assist the decision makers to coalesce their thought.