Japan, India to promote biogas-powered vehicles in new energy pact

Japan and India are set to forge a new partnership to champion vehicles running on biogas, a clean fuel derived from organic waste like cow dung. This collaboration aims to significantly ramp up India's biogas production capacity, targeting the establishment of 1,000 methane-generation plants for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

The agreement will be cemented through a memorandum of understanding during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's three-day visit to India, commencing Wednesday. Prime Minister Takaichi is slated to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday. The summit, initially planned for Guwahati, was relocated to the capital at India's request.

Suzuki Motor, a dominant player in India's passenger vehicle market, is a crucial participant. The company is already producing biogas in India with support from Japanese government subsidies for developing economies and is actively promoting CNG vehicles, which now constitute over a fifth of new car sales in the country.

For India, this initiative is a strategic move to bolster energy security. Despite being the world's third-largest energy consumer, India heavily relies on imported crude oil. Expanding domestic biogas production offers a pathway to reduce this dependence while simultaneously advancing cleaner transportation solutions. The partnership also signifies a deepening strategic relationship between the two nations, with discussions expected to cover economic security and regional stability amid growing concerns over China's influence and global uncertainties.