Member states of the International Energy Agency (IEA), an inter-governmental organisation comprising 31 industrialised countries, agreed on Wednesday to begin discussions on the Indian government’s request to become a full member of the body.

The IEA, which provides policy recommendations and analyses on the global energy sector, works under the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) and was established after the 1973-1974 oil crisis to help member states to respond to major energy supply disruptions. India joined the IEA as an associate member in 2017.

Ministers from the IEA’s member countries made the announcement in a joint communique after the body’s ministerial meeting in Paris on February 13-14.

The decision to start discussions on India’s request to become a full IEA member recognises the country’s “strategic importance in tackling global energy and climate challenges”, the IEA said in a statement.

India made a formal request for full membership to IEA ministers in October 2023. “India becoming an IEA member would mark a huge, consequential change in international energy governance. As the world’s most populous country, India is set to play an increasingly central role in efforts to safeguard energy security, drive inclusive energy transitions, and combat climate change,” the statement said.

The IEA’s 31 member states and 13 associate members represent 75% of global energy demand. In the next three decades, India is poised to see the “largest energy demand growth of any country” as industrialisation and urbanisation surge and per capita income rises, the IEA said.

“India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy. Sustained growth needs energy security and sustainability,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quoted as saying by the IEA

“Inclusivity boosts the credibility and capability of any institution. 1.4 billion Indians bring talent, technology and innovation to the table. We bring scale and speed, quantity and quality to every mission. I am sure that the IEA will benefit when India plays a bigger role in it,” Modi said.

French President Emmanuel Macron backed India’s bid for membership, saying, “I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my full support for the Agency’s efforts to welcome emerging economies, whether through the recent association of Kenya and Senegal or the launch of negotiations with India to join the IEA as a full member.”

IEA executive director Fatih Birol said the organisation is happy that ministers of its member states have agreed to start membership talks with India as this is a major milestone for international energy governance. “A valued and indispensable partner of our Agency, India plays a crucial and growing role in the global energy economy. The world cannot plan for its energy future without India at the table,” Birol said

Others who backed India’s bid for membership included US secretary of energy Jennifer Granholm and Australia’s energy minister Chris Bowen.

Modi’s leadership in renewable and alternative energies has driven down prices for the rest of the world, making these options cost-competitive, and the world’s oldest democracy looks forward to welcoming the world’s largest democracy into the IEA to advance shared climate and energy security goals, Granholm said.

Australia is pleased to support India’s effort to become an IEA member as the country will have the largest energy demand growth globally by 2050, Bowen said. “We are pleased that discussions are progressing well and hope to be able to welcome India into the IEA family soon as an important voice from our region, and for our region,” he added.

Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the minister of energy security of Italy, which holds the G7 presidency in 2024, said: “The agreed text on relations with India highlights the commitment to expand the Agency’s action and represents a step forward towards sharing common goals and global commitment in pursuing sustainable solutions for the energy and ecological transition.”

IEA membership for India was one of the key topics discussed by US President Joe Biden and Modi at their meeting in Washington last June.

The IEA and India have expanded their collaboration on energy and climate issues in recent years, and these ties were deepened during India’s G20 presidency last year. The IEA provided expert analysis and advice on energy, climate and development issues throughout India’s G20 presidency, including on renewables, biofuels, energy efficiency and innovation, the statement said.