India's Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, led the Indian delegation at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting in Houston, USA from 14-16 September 2026. The minister emphasized that secure, affordable and reliable energy is essential for development, particularly for developing economies, stressing the importance of international cooperation while respecting diverse national circumstances.
India showcased its significant power sector achievements, including installed electricity generation capacity reaching 552 GW, with more than half coming from non-fossil fuel sources. The minister highlighted India's early achievement of key NDC targets and its long-term Net Zero by 2070 goal. India presented its reforms to strengthen regulatory efficiency, including initiatives such as the National Single Window System, PARIVESH and PM Gati Shakti, which have improved predictability and streamlined approvals for infrastructure development.
On critical minerals, India emphasized the importance of secure, resilient and diversified supply chains, stressing circularity and downstream value creation in developing countries. The minister highlighted India's National Critical Mineral Mission covering the value chain from exploration to recycling and called for G20 cooperation on recycling, recovery and diversification.
The ministerial meeting produced several key outcomes: The G20 Statement on Advancing Clean Cooking Access promoted universal access through technology-neutral approaches, recognizing LPG as important for developing countries. The Permitting and Regulatory Efficiency Symposium encouraged cooperation through voluntary information exchange and digital tools. The Water Reuse Initiative advanced as a voluntary framework for fit-for-purpose water reuse. The Critical Minerals Communiqué recognized minerals' importance for energy security and emphasized collaborative cooperation for diversification and resilient supply chains.
On the sidelines, the minister held bilateral meetings with US Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, US Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Canadian Parliamentary Secretary Corey Hogan, discussing resilient energy infrastructure, power sector transformation, and meeting India's growing digital economy energy requirements.