The Indian government has called on households to shift their electricity use to daytime hours to cut the country's reliance on energy imports, which have been disrupted by the US-Israeli war on Iran. Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said the move would exploit cheap solar power and reduce dependence on fossil fuels generated at night.
Speaking at the Economist Resilient Futures Summit in New Delhi, Mr Joshi argued that using electricity before 5pm would make a significant contribution to reducing imports. 'Install rooftop solar, charge your EV and entirely, in real sense, it is net zero,' he said.
The conflict has seen Iran's retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a quarter of the world's oil. The International Energy Agency described it as the largest supply disruption in history, with Brent crude surging over 55% since 28 February. India imports about 89% of its crude oil but has shielded petrol and diesel by buying from Russia. However, LPG — used by most households for cooking and 60% of which passes through the Strait — is in short supply, causing long queues at distribution centres.
Experts at the summit stressed the need to electrify key sectors. Sagar Adani, executive director of Adani Green Energy, said electrification offered India the most credible path out of import dependence. 'We have all seen how a conflict in one region can disrupt supply chains across continents,' he told delegates. 'The question for every economy today is not how fast you can grow but how well you can withstand disruptions.'
India added a record 55 GW of renewable energy in 2025-26, including 44 GW of solar and 6 GW of wind. Renewables now account for over 50% of installed electricity capacity, a milestone Mr Joshi said no other G20 nation had reached, though he noted that installed capacity does not reflect actual generation.
Mr Adani warned that renewables alone could not close the gap, citing constraints around land and intermittency. He called for a mix of renewables, hydro, efficient thermal and nuclear power to provide firm baseload capacity, saying: 'This is not optional for India. It is inevitable.'
