India's energy crisis and security: the challenge head for sustainability

Energy is an essential need for human existence besides national development. For many years in past, per capita energy consumption was in use as an index to measure the health of economic condition of a nation. Recently, the cost of the energy as a share of GNP is considered a better norm. Therefore, this is more widely used in measuring the energy efficiency of a nation. India is a developing country facing the critical challenge of meeting its rapidly increasing demand for energy. With over billion people, India ranks sixth in the world in terms of energy demand. Its economy is projected to grow seven to eight percent over the next two decades, spurring a substantial increase in demand for oil to fuel land, sea, and air transportation. Lack of energy supply and interruption in energy supply is causing serious financial, economic and social losses. Energy must be available at all times, in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices, to support the goals of sustainable development. So there is an urgent need to thing about the energy security for India's future sustainable development.