India, Iran hold talks to strengthen energy cooperation at Brics energy meet

Iranian Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad held talks with Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday, with the two sides discussing ways to expand cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector amid evolving global energy dynamics.

Paknejad is visiting India to participate in the 11th Brics Energy Ministers’ Meeting, being hosted by New Delhi under its Brics Chairship 2026.

During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed opportunities to strengthen collaboration in areas related to oil and gas, investment and energy security. Paknejad also met Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on the sidelines of the Brics gathering to discuss greater cooperation in the energy sector.

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Iran signals readiness to expand economic ties with India

Speaking after arriving in New Delhi on Wednesday, Paknejad highlighted the centuries-old relationship between India and Iran and expressed Tehran’s willingness to deepen economic cooperation with New Delhi.

“As you know, we have had historical relations between Iran and India for a long time, for centuries... We are now ready for all the relations we can have in economic fields with India,” he said.

The Iranian minister said bilateral issues would be discussed during his meetings with Indian officials and representatives from the energy sector.

His visit comes as Iran navigates changing sanctions conditions following the recent US-Iran understanding. Referring to the current situation, Paknejad said Tehran was operating under a 60-day sanctions waiver framework based on understandings reached with Washington.

The discussions between India and Iran are taking place against the backdrop of uncertainty in global energy markets due to geopolitical tensions involving Tehran and Washington.

Brics energy agenda focuses on security and sustainability

The two-day 11th Brics Energy Ministers’ Meeting, being held in Gurugram on June 25-26, brings together energy ministers and senior officials from Brics member countries to discuss cooperation in energy security, sustainability and technological innovation.

India’s 2026 Brics Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (Brics)”, with the energy track centred around “Energy for All”.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday highlighted India’s growing role in the global energy transition, stating that the country is rapidly scaling up renewable energy, smart grid systems and energy storage capacity to build a future-ready power sector.

Speaking at the 11th meeting of the Brics Energy Ministers in Gurugram, Khattar said the launch of a new centre under Brics energy cooperation marks an important milestone in strengthening collaboration among member nations in the sector.

”The launch of this centre marks an important step in the Brics Energy cooperation. It reflects our shared commitment to strengthen collaborations, promote innovation and build reliable and future-ready energy systems,” he said.

Pointing to mounting challenges faced by power systems globally, he said the nature of grids was shifting with renewable energy moving to the centre of the transition.

India’s energy agenda under its Brics presidency is centred on three priorities – energy security and sustainability, energy access and equity, and technology and innovation.

The Brics grouping currently comprises 11 countries and accounts for nearly half of the world’s population and around 40 per cent of global GDP.

The ministry said the meeting is expected to strengthen cooperation on energy security, innovation and sustainable development while promoting practical collaboration towards secure, affordable and future-ready energy systems.

With inputs from agencies