India, Indonesia in LNG Partnership Talks

India is in talks with Indonesia to co-operate in the LNG and refining space, Indian oil minister said December 13 at the India-Asean Partnership@25 conference in New Delhi.

Under Modi government’s ‘Act East’ policy, India is focusing on enhancing energy partnership with countries on its eastern front like Bangladesh and Asean nations such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, among others.

“Recently, we have dispatched the first consignment of diesel to Myanmar, Currently, we are in consultation with Indonesia for partnering in the refining and LNG sector,” Pradhan said without offering any details about the contours of the partnership.

New Delhi already has a strong energy partnership with the Asean region. India has been importing crude oil from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei while it has been sourcing LNG from Malaysia and Singapore.

Two Indian state-owned firms ONGC Videsh and Gail have equity stake in the Myanmar-China Gas Pipeline Project.

“Our engagement with Asean region in the hydrocarbon sector has been ever-growing. In the upstream sector Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar have been important partners. Asean region is also an important source of crude oil and LNG to meet India’s hydrocarbon requirements,” the minister said.