The government will spend 1.2 trillion rupees ($16.1 billion) on the latest stimulus program in addition to the 1.45 trillion rupees announced on Wednesday,

"India is set to nearly double its energy consumption over the long-term," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the virtual forum. "Our energy sector will be growth-centric, industry friendly and environment-conscious."

The rise in imports came despite India's LPG consumption edging down 0.26% on month to 2.267 million mt in September after several consecutive months of increase, although it was up 4.8% year on year, the PPAC data showed.

The government of India attaches great importance to improving energy security and transforming India’s energy landscape at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely impacting the global energy sector.

With coal delivering to India for less than $3/MMBtu, the price is still more competitive than LNG,

With India’s growing gas demand outstripping domestic production, LNG is playing an increasingly important role.

Gas accounts for little over 6pc of India’s primary energy consumption mix, which is far below the global average. New Delhi has set a target to raise this to 15pc by 2030,

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Modi, OPEC is a reliable partner of India and the great strategy you set out for your esteemed country. Long may this relationship continue to blossom.

The US was the fifth-largest supplier of LNG to India in 2019, according to the Department of Energy.

Farzad-B gas field was discovered by a consortium of three Indian companies ONGC, Oil India Limited and Indian Oil Corporation in 2008 in the Farsi offshore block of the Persian Gulf. Tehran and New Delhi have since negotiated the terms of the field’s development for years.