Australia and India Deepen Energy Partnership to Build Resilient Supply Chains

Australian Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said India and Australia can deepen their energy partnership by leveraging complementary strengths, including a Gujarat solar academy that will train 2,000 technicians and cooperation on green hydrogen. He described renewable energy as a reliable component of fuel security and said joint efforts could help build resilient supply chains amid the global energy crisis. During talks in New Delhi, Bowen identified electrification, financing for small island developing states, ocean protection and adaptation as priorities for COP31, while praising India as an essential voice in global climate and energy policy. India has meanwhile emphasized that COP31 and the broader green transition must reflect climate equity, historical responsibility and differing national obligations, alongside its development needs and expansion of renewable energy, clean transport and electrification.
Chris Bowen said he chose to visit New Delhi rather than New York, calling India an “indispensable voice” in the future of climate and energy policy. He added that the visit was his 14th to India.
As president of the COP31 negotiations, Bowen said the conference would deliver a new Just Transition mechanism and emphasized turning discussions on mitigation and climate finance into practical action.
Bowen said he had consulted Indian ministers Yadav and Joshi on COP31, Australia’s fuel security and bilateral cooperation on liquid fuels, and planned to visit Mumbai and Reliance’s Jamnagar facilities.
India’s stated climate-equity position is supported by large differences in emissions: its annual per-capita emissions are about 2.2 tonnes, compared with a global average of roughly 4.7 tonnes, while cumulative emissions from 1751–2024 account for about 3.5% of the global total, versus 23.5% for the United States.
India’s solar capacity has grown from about 2 gigawatts in 2012 to roughly 160 gigawatts, while the PM-KUSUM program has provided solar pumps to around 3 million farmers.
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