Primary energy consumption change in India 1999-2023

India's primary energy consumption increased by 4.2 percent in 2023 in comparison to the prior year. Between 1999 and 2023, primary energy consumption in the South Asian country oscillated, with the greatest consumption increase seen in 2021. 

India's primary energy consumption

Between 1998 and 2022, India’s primary energy consumption more than doubled. In 2022, the country was one of the highest consumers of energy in the world, at 36.4 exajoules. Similar to other countries, a growth in India’s GDP - often seen as an indicator for a country’s growing prosperity - is likely to be associated with an increase in energy consumption. Despite a large increase in energy consumption, India’s per capita energy consumption remains quite low, compared to countries such as Australia. India’s primary sources of energy are mostly derived from fossil fuels, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the total energy consumption in 2021.

As the country relies heavily on energy imports, India has become one of the largest importers of fuels such as liquefied natural gas in recent years. That said, there are large amounts of proved anthracite and bituminous coal reserves in India, making it one of the largest coal reserves in the world.