Chandigarh, Jan 06: Drawing attention to the growing link between energy security and economic competitiveness, Anil Agarwal has underscored the critical role of affordable and secure power in shaping future economies driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and critical minerals.
On his social media, Agarwal noted that China today has nearly double the power generation capacity of the United States, despite having a significantly smaller economy. This long-term investment in power infrastructure, is set to become an advantage in the AI era, where data centres, advanced manufacturing, and mineral processing are highly energy-intensive.
He pointed out that the US is already facing constraints, as the rapid expansion of AI is consuming vast amounts of electricity, leaving limited and expensive power for other industrial activities. This imbalance, Agarwal marked, could affect industrial competitiveness over time.
Against this backdrop, Agarwal emphasised that India stands at a pivotal moment. With its strong potential across conventional and renewable energy, as well as generation and transmission, India can position itself as a future-ready economy by ensuring reliable and affordable power for homes, factories, and data centres alike.
Calling for urgent action, he advocated fast-tracking power projects and streamlining policy frameworks. Agarwal suggested a unified approach that integrates generation, transmission, and distribution under a single, simplified policy, enabling companies to execute projects end-to-end with speed and efficiency.
“Affordable, secure power will define tomorrow’s economies,” he said, adding that decisive reforms today can help India lead in the AI-driven future rather than play catch-up.