New Delhi, 25 February, 2020:  Yesterday, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) convened a round table with Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette along with senior industry executives to mark President Donald J. Trump’s maiden visit to India. Both sides reviewed the progress of the U.S-India Strategic Energy Partnership and emphasized the centrality of industry in expanding energy access and security between our economies. Energy related trade between the countries touched $8 billion in 2019 and is expected to increase by 20 percent in 2020.

The USISPF gathering discussed how metallurgical coal and bioethanol will become part of U.S.-India energy trade. As India plans a cleaner and greener economy, Minister Pradhan discussed his intention of additional cooperation with U.S. energy labs on areas such as carbon capture, clean coal technologies, battery storage and large-scale grid integration of renewable energy. Xcoal Energy & Resources Managing Director for India, Sujogya Kumar Dash said, “Xcoal is excited about partnering in Indian steel industry’s growth to 300 million tonnes by 2030. As the largest exporter of coal from the US, Xcoal believes that the US will be an extremely reliable source of metallurgical coal essential for enabling India to meet its target for steel.”

U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said, “It is an honor to be here in India with President Trump to deepen our strong bilateral relationship, particularly in the energy sector. Today’s roundtable hosted by U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) provided a unique opportunity for Minister Pradhan and I to hear directly from our private sector partners from both nations and discuss future opportunities for commercial partnerships in the energy sector.

Under the Trump Administration, the United States and India have significantly elevated our cooperation in energy, which has opened a range of opportunities for enhanced oil and gas trade and development, deploying renewable energy technologies, strengthening and modernizing our power infrastructure, enhancing energy efficiency, advancing coal plant efficiency, and growing our civil nuclear cooperation. We have made great progress since the Strategic Energy Partnership was launched in 2018, and I believe the best is yet to come.” Prior to the industry discussion, the Minister and the Secretary presided over the signing of a Letter of Cooperation between ExxonMobil India LNG Limited (Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited to establish a system of transportation infrastructure to expand gas access in India.

USISPF President and CEO Dr. Mukesh Aghi said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, the energy partnership has become a bedrock of the bilateral relationship and will have a key role in achieving the government of India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2024.”