Gas imports are forecast to increase by 12.5% to 159 bcm in 2021, including 104 bcm of LNG and 55 bcm of piped gas.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has initiated a tender for 1,200 MW of wind-solar projects, under the tranche IV of the interstate transmission-connected (ISTS) programme.

China's oil product exports are expected to rise by 31.7% year on year to around 54.7 million mt in 2021,

Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced that China will boost the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% by 2030, part of his pledge to bring the country's carbon emissions to a peak before 2030.

The US was working with partners in India to launch a US-India Hydrogen Task Force under the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership initiative.

India would not only be pushing hydrogen in the transport sector, but would also expand its use to a range of sectors such as chemicals, iron and steel, heating and power.

China needs to speed up its nuclear development to achieve its pledge to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak before 2030 and become “carbon neutral” by 2060.

China said in its 2021-2025 five-year plan published in March that it would continue to promote the “clean and efficient use of coal”.

The agreement aims to advance the global energy transformation towards a net zero energy future particularly in developing countries, in the context of achieving the Paris Agreement objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The NSE Nifty 50 index was down 2.44% at 14,474.10 by 0440 GMT, while the S&P BSE Sensex was 2.42% lower at 48,374.94. The two indexes have now retreated 6%-8% from their mid-February record highs.

The fifth strategic energy plan approved by the cabinet in July 2018 promotes conversion to high efficiency and next-generation coal-fired power generation in Japan in return for phasing out inefficient coal use.

India has stockpiled a record 132 million tonnes of coal – enough to run India’s power plants for two months – greatly exceeding the average of the previous five years,

The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 1.5% to 5,035.34, while the Shanghai Composite Index eased 0.9% to 3,450.68.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on April 8 signed a memorandum of cooperation with the UAE's Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure to jointly consider developing an international hydrogen supply chain with an eye to supply the fuel to Japan.

"In the medium and long term, JGC Corporation will work with Fluor to secure and execute SMR EPC projects on a global basis, and intends to seek opportunities in integrating SMRs with renewable energy, as well as with hydrogen production and seawater desalination," JGC said.