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Hormuz crisis: Australian LNG to India will surge, says Australian High Commissioner

admin — Wed, 20 May 2026 12:31:00 +0000

Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green during an interaction with The Hindu in Vijayawada.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

Amid the global energy shortage triggered by the West Asia crisis and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, enhanced LNG supplies from Australia could become a viable alternative to bridge India’s energy demand-supply gap, Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green has said.

In an exclusive interaction with The Hindu in Vijayawada, Mr. Green said Australia’s proximity to India’s east coast and a crisis-free maritime route make Australian LNG well suited to support eastern India’s growing energy needs and green steel production.

At present, most LNG used for industrial and domestic needs in India comes from Middle Eastern countries through ports on India’s west coast.

“I can see a future where Australia increases LNG supplies to India,” Mr. Green said, noting that Australia’s major gas fields are located across the Indian Ocean from India’s southern State, Andhra Pradesh. While LNG cargoes from Australia to India have already begun, supplies could become “much more substantial” in the future, particularly for eastern India.

He added that maritime routes between Australia and India remain free and supply chains intact. Australia’s metallurgical coal exports for Indian steelmaking and imports of processed petroleum products from India are continuing and uninterrupted. Mr. Green said Australia currently exports LNG mainly to East Asian markets such as Japan, Korea and Singapore, and the Indian Ocean route offers India a supply chain free from strategic choke points.

ECTA and surge in Indian exports

Trade between India and Australia is growing strongly and is expected to expand further, according to Mr. Green. Indian exports to Australia have grown by 200% in the last five years, compared to 40% growth in exports to the rest of the world.

“India is profiting five times more in trade with Australia than with the rest of the world,” Mr. Green said. Since the implementation of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), Indian textile exports to Australia have risen 25%, agricultural exports 50%, and car exports 85%.

Lithium and Copper from Australia

Australia is also aiming to play a major role in supplying critical minerals such as lithium and copper for the clean energy sector. The country produces nearly half of the world’s lithium and already exports considerable quantities of copper to India.

Mr. Green said India’s growing EV and battery industries will require much larger lithium supplies, making Australia a natural partner. Australia is working with Indian government agencies and companies to build a direct lithium supply chain, including investments and offtake agreements in Australian lithium mines.

He added that India must remain proactive in securing Australian lithium amid rising global competition from Europe, North America and East Asia. “Indian consumers need to be active and hungry in a competitive global market looking to source more Australian lithium,” he said.

Published – May 20, 2026 05:08 pm IST

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Hormuz crisis: Australian LNG to India will surge, says Australian High Commissioner

admin — Wed, 20 May 2026 11:38:00 +0000

Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green during an interaction with The Hindu in Vijayawada.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

Amid the global energy shortage triggered by the Middle East crisis and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, enhanced LNG supplies from Australia could become a viable alternative to bridge India’s energy demand-supply gap, Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green has said.

At present, most LNG used for industrial and domestic needs in India comes from Middle Eastern countries through ports on India’s west coast.

ECTA and surge in Indian exports

Lithium and Copper from Australia

Published – May 20, 2026 05:08 pm IST

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India an indispensable strategic partner: Australian Envoy

admin — Mon, 06 May 2024 20:12:00 +0000

Philip Green, Australian Envoy to India. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

Any bilateral relationship can experience “occasional speed bumps” but our strategic, economic, and people to people partnerships with India are very strong, said Philip Green, Australian Envoy to India. “I am very confident we will move ahead with great velocity in the years to come.” The envoy refused to answer questions on “intelligence matters.”

Last week, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia will uphold its democratic values in the face of “foreign interference”. She was responding to reports that India had at one point in the past operated a “nest of spies” on Australian soil. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) had reported that Indian ‘spies’ were “kicked out” after they were “caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security.”

Strategic balance

“India is an indispensable part of the balancing… and the strategic balance in the Indian Ocean cannot be fashioned without engagement with India… Beyond the defence domain, and this is really important, we see India as a key partner in economic security. We want to develop better supply chain resilience… Beyond that, India is a key part of our trade diversification agenda,” Mr. Green said speaking at the Observer Research Foundation.

On April 17, Australia released its new National Defence Strategy (NDS) 2024 which termed India a “top-tier security partner” and said that through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, the government is continuing to prioritise “practical and tangible cooperation” that directly contributes to Indo-Pacific stability. The Envoy said what is most notable is how fast India has become a top tier partner, compared to many others. It happened over the last five years, he noted.

Mr. Green said the Indo-Pacific region is experiencing superpower competition and boundary disputes are intensifying. “China is undertaking the biggest military buildup the world has seen since World War II. And that build up is happening without transparency or strategic reassurance,” he stated.

Chinese arms build up

He also referred to China’s territorial disputes and how it managed them. Given the strategic risks, the Envoy said they want a region where the large and the mighty don’t dominate the small and the less mighty.

What we are seeking to establish for ourselves is a sustainable strategic balance and a region where states can express their sovereignty and freedom, Mr. Green stated.

Australia is doubling down on military capability, Mr. Green said noting that defence spending has increased from 2.1% to 2.4% of GDP and the Army is being transformed into an amphibious force, while the surface combat fleet is being doubled.

The Envoy said recent bilateral visits have tempered the relationship with China. He said they have reached a “new equilibrium” with China. We know we have differences with China and we are able to express the problems and discuss them in private and exist side by side, he said noting that China is a very important trade and economic partner.

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