India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, commended the country’s remarkable economic growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting its rise from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 5th largest by 2019, surpassing the UK. Speaking at a reception hosted by Consul General of India in Houston, Mr. D C Manjunath, at India House, he highlighted Houston’s pivotal role in global energy, particularly in green hydrogen and aerospace.
Minister Puri also emphasized the importance of strengthening the US-India partnership in clean energy, praising India’s efforts in refining and biofuel blending, which aim to increase the country’s refining capacity to 300 million metric tons per year. He described the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership as crucial for future collaboration in energy.
He further discussed India’s ambitious urban development plans, revealing that the government has allocated US$ 25 billion (Rs. 1.57 lakh crore) towards urban initiatives from 2017 to 2024, equating the expansion to building a city the size of Chicago every year. In civil aviation, the number of airports is expected to grow from 74 to 150, reflecting the rapid development of this sector.
Minister Puri recognized the contributions of the Indian diaspora, especially in fields like medicine and engineering, while emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural traditions abroad. He expressed his appreciation for the warm reception from Houston’s Indian community, acknowledging their role in elevating India’s global stature.
