Energy security and digital security have become key to national power, and true self-reliance will come only if India ends its dependence on foreign powers in these two sectors, said Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, on Monday.
Adani, the richest person in Asia, said the reason behind the rise of the United States and China as the world’s two largest economies was the same. Both countries realised the importance of energy security and digital security.
“What has become even more obvious from the recent Middle East conflict and targeted attacks on infrastructure is that energy security and digital security are no longer independent dimensions. They are now the twin foundations of national power. And it is increasingly evident that the country that controls its energy will drive its industrial future,” he said at the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
“The two largest economies in the world, the United States and China, have understood this deeply. Their systems may be different. Their politics may be different. Their institutions may be different. But their strategic objectives are the same,” Adani added.
No nation can call itself truly self-reliant if it depends on others for the energy that powers its economy or the intelligence that shapes its destiny, he said.
Adani said that 1947 was about the country’s political freedom, while independence in the 21st century would mean “owning the energy that lights our homes and the intelligence that guides our minds”.
His comments come amid the energy crisis being faced by the world, including India. Oil prices are over 50 percent higher compared to pre-war levels, while the supply of natural gas is constrained.
India is the second-largest buyer of imported crude oil and the fourth-largest importer of natural gas.
In anticipation of a prolonged energy crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption by cutting unnecessary travel.
