Organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd, the summit focused on the theme: "Unleashing LNG Growth Drivers – Open Policy | Infrastructure | CGDs | Transport | Industrial Sectors". The summit served as a platform that discussed LNG value chain, with a focus on policy frameworks, infrastructure development, exploring adoption from the industry and building international collaborations.
The Summit was inaugurated by Chief Guest Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) and Former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India. In his keynote address, Dr Ahluwalia acknowledged the government's ambitious target to raise natural gas’s share in India’s energy mix from 6.5% to 15% by 2030, while underlining the need for rational energy pricing, structural reforms and better integration of gas into the broader energy and power ecosystem.
Dr Ahluwalia’s address served as a call to action for policymakers and industry leaders alike to integrate gas into India’s broader decarbonization strategy, noting the urgent need for market-based pricing, urban gas adoption and cleaner industrial fuel alternatives.
Guest of Honour Mr Dinesh K Sarraf, Chairman of the Expert Committee for Vision 2040 – Natural Gas Infrastructure (PNGRB), reinforced the importance of infrastructure expansion and regulatory clarity in achieving India’s energy security goals.
Dr A K Balyan, Director & Chairman, Carmine Energy and Chairman - Advisory Committee, LNG India Summit, set the tone for the event, highlighting India's growth potential in gas consumption—from 66 BCM currently to 80 BCM by 2030 and 108 BCM by 2040, driven by domestic production and strategic LNG imports. He emphasised the pivotal role of policy continuity, new technologies and sustainability in enabling a gas-based transition.
Amidst the plans to make clean fuels as the forerunner in the India’s journey towards decarbonisation, GAIL, the sustainability partner of the summit, is India’s largest natural gas company investing heavily in renewable energy to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. GAIL is extensively expanding its pipeline network to make supplies affordable and improve reachability.
Building infrastructure and challenges
The two-day summit also highlighted key ideas that could help the industry approach LNG infrastructure development in India. Here are a few excerpts:
Speaking about urgent infrastructure updates needed for LNG ecosystem, Mr Ashu Shinghal, Managing Director, Mahanagar Gas Ltd said: “The whole ecosystem is there in India. The regulations are available, and safety standards are in place. Industry players who want to decarbonise using LNG have also shown considerable interest. The main push is the differential cost of LNG vehicles compared to diesel vehicles.” He also lauded the summit as it brings up a dialogue between government and industry.
Mr Pawal Warszycki, CEO, Nesetten, shared his vision on building infrastructure for LNG. He cautioned that during expansion, many companies tend to invest heavily in building pipeline infrastructure to supply gas at affordable prices, but this can lead to failure in case of lower demand. He suggested that a compact supply line through CGD networks can be a viable option.
Mr Vyankatesh S Patole, Solution Consultant, Hexagon Asset Lifecyle Intelligence expressed: “Most industries are doing paper-waste processes and are not moving to digitisation. Maintenance is a key aspect to increase revenue and achieve operational efficiency through dedicated AI-based solutions. Use of AI has shown promising results in reducing breakdowns.” He also shared that he was happy to note that industries are welcoming the use of new technology.
Mr Manan Shah, CEO, Ambetronics Engineers Pvt Ltd spoke about the significance of safety in the industry. He appreciated: “I am happy to be here; safety is very significant in industrial operations. Additionally, we get to display our innovations before a very relevant audience.”
Dr AK Balyan applauded Messe Frankfurt India for successfully organising the Summit for the 9th consecutive year, calling it a “credible and growing platform” for India's natural gas stakeholders. Participants echoed their appreciation for the Summit’s insightful sessions, strategic networking and ability to drive momentum toward India's energy transition.
Other key dignitaries included H.E. Mr Andrey Sobolev, Trade Commissioner of Russia in India; Mr Dmitry Vitman, Head of Business and Infrastructure Development at Alfa Bank; and Mr Satyan Kumar, Executive Director & CEO of ONGC Green Ltd. A closed-door roundtable with Indian and Russian stakeholders was held to explore long-term trade opportunities, technology collaboration and deeper bilateral energy ties.
The Country Partner, Russian Trade Commission, played a significant role in bringing strategic insight and international engagement to the summit. The summit saw participation from delegations representing Germany, Sweden, Japan, Qatar, Russia and United States of America, reinforcing India’s pivotal role in global LNG trade flows.
A CEO's Roundtable brought key executives together to address infrastructure bottlenecks, price volatility, strategic sourcing and digital innovations, such as AI/ML, for LNG operations.
An exclusive Dinner Networking Event, hosted by Alfa Bank, brought together Summit VIPs, speakers and distinguished guests from the energy sector, financial institutions, port authorities and trading firms, fostering valuable connections and business opportunities.
Summit in short:
The 9th edition of the LNG India Summit delivered actionable points to drive:
- Expansion of City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks
- Enhancing and exploring domestic natural gas
- Import diversification and sourcing strategies
- Use of AI and digital tools for predictive supply and infrastructure management
- Promotion of carbon-neutral and sustainable LNG solutions
- Build indigenous storage facilities and technology
- Explore industrial applications
- Strengthening of cross-border LNG collaborations, particularly with Russia
The summit has received active support from:
Associate Partner: Confidence Group & Woodfield Systems; Consulting Partner: EAC International Consulting; Country Partner: Trade Representation of Russia in India; Energy Partner: ONGC; Exchange Partner: Indian Gas Exchange; Industry Champions: Think Gas; Innovation Partner: Indraprastha Gas Limited; Knowledge Partner: ICF; Partner Associations Natural Gas Society & Association of CGD Entities; Network Partner: Biofuels and LNG Cluster; Silver Partner: Hexagon; Strategic Partner: Inoxcva; Technology Partner: Nesetten
For more information, please visit
www.lngindiasummit.com
For Mobility & Logistics shows worldwide, please visit:
https://mobility-logistics.messefrankfurt.com/worldwide/en/transport-logistics.html
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
www.messefrankfurt.com/background-information
Sustainability at Messe Frankfurt
www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability-information
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