India pursuing 'energy diplomacy' with neighboring countries

India is slowly but steadily  working on building connectivity grids with its neighboring  countries. It is moving ahead and using energy as a means of connectivity. India is making a network of energy relationships for leveraging itself as a major petroleum products source, according to the Economic Times report. India is sharing  technology with countries from Mauritius to Indonesia. Thus it is creating inter-dependencies in the field of energy. Mauritius being among India's  main partners in the Indian Ocean region, is likely to be a petroleum storage and bunkering hub. India has started developing infrastructure in that country for same. India and Indonesia are going ahead with the energy partnership on the other side of the Indian Ocean. India is developing a floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) for Indonesia. It would facilitate  supply of energy to the thousands of islands in that country. For the eastern neighboring country Myanmar, India will be supplying diesel from the Numaligarh refinery in Assam. India is also considering to build an LNG terminal in Sittwe to provide energy products to Myanmar. Energy minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “We are trying to use energy as a means of diplomacy in a very different way, not only to find overseas sources of hydrocarbons." India is seen to be using energy as a diplomatic tool to counter China in the eastern region and Pakistan on the western front. Cooperation with friendly neighbors in energy sector by creating interdependency will go a long way in harmonious relationship.