Abu dhabi: Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, underscored the importance of reliable partnerships as the real strategic reserve during his speech at India Energy Week 2026. He urged leaders to look beyond short-term volatility towards the transformative opportunities arising from increasing global energy demand.
According to Emirates News Agency, Dr. Al Jaber highlighted that the current energy narrative is driven by three significant megatrends: the rise of emerging markets, exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI), and transformation of energy systems, all converging prominently in India. He emphasized that global oil demand will persist above 100 million barrels per day through 2040, with both LNG and electricity demand projected to grow by 50 percent or more. The increasing need for electricity is attributed not only to AI and data centers but also to cooling requirements, as global air-conditioner numbers are expected to triple to 5.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of ten AC units sold every second for the next thirty years.
Dr. Al Jaber stressed the necessity for investment across all forms of energy, noting that the biggest risk lies in underinvestment rather than oversupply. As the world’s third-largest energy consumer, India is a decisive driver of global demand. Over the next 15 years, India’s air travel is predicted to grow by 150 percent, with its urban population nearing one billion, and data center capacity increasing tenfold.
He further elaborated on the special kind of partnership required for progress and growth at this scale and pace, describing it as strategic, long-term, agile, flexible, steadfast, dependable, principled, consistent, and based on trust. This, he noted, is exemplified by the UAE-India relationship. As India’s refining demand grows, ADNOC will continue as a trusted crude supplier, being India’s top LNG market, largest LPG supplier, and a provider of feedstocks and chemicals.
The UAE is also supporting India’s clean energy ambitions through ALT‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬°RRA, the largest private climate investment vehicle globally, with investments totaling 11GW in wind, solar, and battery storage. ADNOC’s international energy investment arm, XRG, will leverage the UAE’s strengths in energy expertise, capital, and global partnerships to enhance its role as a reliable, responsible energy supplier. XRG is expanding its global gas portfolio, building a leading chemicals platform, and investing in energy infrastructure to support industrial and digital growth.
Dr. Al Jaber highlighted ADNOC’s integration of agentic AI to monitor its wells in real-time, deploying over 200 AI tools and 65 robotics applications across operations. AI has enabled ADNOC to halve unplanned shutdowns, boost performance, drive efficiency, and reinforce resilience.
He emphasized the UAE’s commitment to an open economy, having signed 35 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements in three years, including its first with India, and attracting over $45 billion in strategic foreign direct investment in 2025. Dr. Al Jaber concluded by inviting global partners to join the UAE in building a future together, stating, ‘In an age of walls, our message is simple: build doors and the world will walk through them.’
