New Delhi: Indian energy companies are not facing any challenge in securing finances especially from overseas markets, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday.
The statement assumes significance as there are reports that some sovereign funds, including Norway's State Pension Fund, have decided not to invest or finance fossil fuel-based projects and businesses.
"There is no challenge... I have mentioned in speech that pension funds and others are keen (to invest)," the oil minister said at the BNEF Summit here. He was replying to a query that whether Indian energy firms are facing challenges in getting funding, particularly from overseas markets.
"India's growing energy sector is attractive for foreign investors. It has repeatedly received funding from sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, long-term strategic investors from western countries, Asian countries and the Middle East," the minister said.
Pradhan further said, "The economy is projected to grow at more than 7 per cent, which will attract more funding. Many companies have successfully raised funding through overseas bond market and this funding route is likely to grow many fold going forward."
India is expected to get investments of over USD 75 billion in gas infrastructure in the next eight years, the minister said, adding that Indian refineries have invested over Rs 30,000 crore for upgrading to BS-VI quality fuel production.
India will become USD 3 trillion economy this year and aims to achieve a USD 5 trillion target in the near future, the oil minister said.
To achieve this target, Pradhan said, India needs secure, affordable and sustainable energy to sustain high growth and energy access to 1.3 billion people. It is important to tap every source of energy, he added.
About incidents of states backing out on concluded power purchase agreements and demanded renegotiation of tariff (lowering that), the minister said, "We are mindful of the difficulties being faced by investors in some instances where state government is trying to renegotiate some of the executed contracts."