NITI Aayog has said India must reverse its energy mix fundamentally — raising the share of non-fossil sources to more than 80 per cent of its primary energy basket — to achieve its net-zero emissions target. The call came from Rajnath Ram, Advisor (Energy) at NITI Aayog, speaking at the India Bio Energy Conference (IBEC) 2026 in New Delhi, organised by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI).

The Scale of the Challenge

Currently, more than 80 per cent of India's primary energy consumption is sourced from fossil fuels, while renewables and other non-fossil sources account for only 15–18 per cent. Ram described this imbalance as the central obstacle to India's net-zero ambitions.

'If you really want to become a net-zero country, the current system of your primary energy basket, which is heavily loaded with fossil-based energy sources, has to be reversed,' he said.

Diversifying Energy Sources and Geographies

Ram underlined the urgency of energy security in an increasingly volatile global environment. He noted that recent global disruptions have already pushed India to expand its energy sourcing network from 27 countries to more than 40 countries. He stressed that domestic resource utilisation must also improve alongside this geographic diversification.

Notably, India's energy import bill remains one of the largest drains on its current account, making supply-chain resilience a fiscal priority as much as a strategic one.

Coal Gasification as a Bridge Strategy

Ram highlighted coal gasification as a near-term lever for reducing import dependence. India holds nearly 300 billion tonnes of coal reserves, which can be converted into synthetic natural gas, methanol, and other downstream industrial products. He pointed to the government's recently approved ₹37,500 crore coal gasification initiative as a concrete step in this direction.

'If this synthetic natural gas is manufactured in the country, this will entirely replace our import of natural gas,' Ram said. The programme targets conversion of domestic coal and lignite reserves into synthesis gas for industrial use.

Bio-Energy and the Green Growth Agenda

TPCI Chairman Mohit Singla positioned bio-energy as a strategic pillar of India's energy transition, arguing it goes well beyond being an alternative fuel. 'Bio-energy is not merely an alternative fuel source; it is a strategic pillar of India's green growth story, poised to become a cornerstone of our energy transition,' Singla said. He added that bio-energy can simultaneously reduce fossil fuel dependence, address waste management, generate rural employment, and support farmers.

On the sidelines, TPCI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Association to deepen collaboration in that sector.

What the Conference Covered

The IBEC 2026 brought together policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders, and energy experts to deliberate on compressed biogas (CBG), ethanol blending, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), climate finance, biomass integration, and long-term energy security strategy. The breadth of the agenda reflects the growing consensus that India's energy transition cannot be driven by a single technology or fuel type.

With India's net-zero deadline set for 2070, the gap between the current 15–18 per cent non-fossil share and the required 80-plus per cent underscores how much structural transformation lies ahead.