Natural gas is increasingly being viewed not just as a bridge fuel but as a long-term pillar of future energy systems, particularly for fast-growing economies such as India, industry leaders said during a panel discussion at India Energy Week in Goa on Tuesday.
The panel discussion on “Repositioning Natural Gas & Energy Transformation – From Pragmatic Bridging Resource to Pivotal Destination Fuel” brought together global producers, infrastructure providers and Indian gas sector leaders to examine the evolving role of natural gas in a rapidly transforming energy landscape.
Moderated by Simon Flowers, chairman and chief analyst, Wood Mackenzie, the discussion underscored gas’s dual role as a near-term transition fuel and a durable component of future energy systems, particularly for fast-growing economies like India.
Sandeep Gupta, chairman and managing director, GAIL, highlighted natural gas’s strategic importance for India from the perspectives of emissions, affordability and energy security. He noted that around 50 per cent of India’s gas demand is met domestically, a far more secure position compared to crude oil imports.
Gupta pointed to fertilisers and city gas distribution as stable, fast-growing demand anchors, while stressing that policy support, especially inclusion of gas under GST, could significantly accelerate consumption.
“Because of safety, emissions and affordability, and given the global surplus expected in gas, I believe natural gas will increasingly become a destination fuel for India,” added Gupta.
From a global supply standpoint, Fatema Al Nuaimi, chief executive officer (CEO), ADNOC Gas, argued that capital allocation trends clearly indicate gas and LNG are here to stay. She added that ADNOC Gas is investing over $20 billion to expand capacity by nearly 30 per cent by 2029, reflecting long-term confidence in demand.
Al Nuaimi emphasised gas’s role in stabilising power systems amid renewable intermittency and highlighted the growing importance of long-term contracts for economic predictability in fast-growing markets like India.
“Competitiveness comes from predictability, not volatility, and long-term LNG contracts provide the stability economies need to plan and invest,” she said.
Infrastructure readiness emerged as a critical theme, with Steven Kobos, president and CEO, Excelerate Energy, stressing that while liquefaction capacity has expanded rapidly, regasification remains the key bottleneck. He praised India’s foresight in building LNG terminals and urged continued investment to ensure the country can fully benefit from future supply surpluses.
“LNG is not a switch you flip. It is a system you build, and India has shown how getting ahead of demand allows you to capture affordability and energy security,” Kobos said. He also highlighted LNG’s ability to balance renewables, enhance resilience, and serve diverse market needs through both large-scale and small-scale solutions.
Simon Flowers said that affordability, infrastructure and predictability will shape gas demand trajectories over the next decade. He added that even highly decarbonised systems continue to rely on gas for reliability, citing examples from Europe, while India’s price sensitivity makes policy and market design especially critical.
The panel converged on the view that natural gas is evolving beyond a temporary bridge fuel into a core, flexible, and scalable energy source, capable of supporting growth, reducing emissions and complementing renewables.
