Courtesy: Wikimedia
Saudi Arabia, Russia and other oil producers are trying to cap oil production to support prices. Such distortions are unlikely to work. India should be more concerned about the long term rise in oil prices due to falling investment in exploration and production – and should protect itself by acquiring oil and gas assets to cover its energy needs.
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ONGC’s purchase of a 15% stake in Russia’s Vankorneft presents the road ahead for India – by acquiring oil and gas fields today, India has a chance to lock in the price of imported energy at the current low level for the long run.
Courtesy: Amit Dave (Reuters)
Conjecture about a Rosneft-Essar deal shows how the oil market dynamics have shifted in the past few years. Just as supply security is important to oil buyers, demand security is crucial for oil suppliers. Buying refining and marketing assets in big markets like India is the route to demand security for Russia, whose economy depends on petroleum exports.
Courtesy: U.S. State department/Flickr
With the EU, Iran, and other entities taking decisive steps on April 2 to ensure a non-nuclear Iran, President Obama must now counter interests in the U.S. that want to stymie the final agreement. But having come this far, and considering the comprehensive benefits of an agreement, all sides are sure to deliver
Courtesy: RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service
A fall in oil prices has pushed down the values of oil companies globally, giving India a rare chance to acquire assets cheap and hedge its economy against future increases in energy prices. There are plenty of plum assets to pick from—such as Rosneft, the state-owned Russian oil major
Courtesy: wikimedia
The fall in oil prices is creating new complexities for the energy exporting economies of West Asia. With smaller profits, these countries may not be able to buy off political dissent at home and fund client governments and rebels abroad. Lower energy prices could also mean a renewed chance for peace
Courtesy: Nandu Chitnis/Wikimedia Commons
Russia’s gas supply agreement with China represents a shift away from its traditional European markets, towards Asia. The deal presents a blue print that India can follow to secure its own energy supplies and by drawing Russia into the LNG business, India can help bring down natural gas prices
Courtesy: Freedom House/Flickr
Despite rising international opposition, U.S. President Barack Obama is ready to penalise the Syrian regime for an alleged chemical attack in Ghouta, Syria, last month. The justifications given by the U.S. for an armed attack are questionable, and such retaliatory action will destabilise the entire region
With the Free Syrian Army being supplied aid by the West and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the endgame for the Syrian regime has begun. Does Assad's exit guarantee the replacement of autocracy with democracy? What implications will it have on regional politics?
Though some countries like Russia gained a strong foothold in Central Asia and the Caucasus post-1991, India has been a late-comer. Gateway House interviews former Ambassador to Azerbaijan Debnath Shaw to discuss India’s energy interests in the region, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the TAPI pipeline.
