Oil surplus or illusion is the question shaping energy market forecasts for 2026, and this episode explains why the answer may not be what most expect.In this India Energy Week 2026 special episode of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Energy Expert Anas Alhaji on why forecasts of a massive oil surplus in 2026 may be deeply misleading. Drawing on data, trade flows, and geopolitical realities, the conversation challenges widely cited projections from agencies and financial institutions.The discussion explains why repeated predictions of collapsing oil prices have failed to materialise, despite claims of excess supply. It examines how oil in transit, inventory accounting, strategic petroleum reserves, and shifting global trade routes have distorted the surplus narrative. From Brazil and Kazakhstan to China, Venezuela, and the United States, the episode shows how headline numbers often mask what is actually happening in the oil market.The conversation also looks ahead from an Asia and India perspective. Topics include India’s oil imports, sanctions and geopolitics, Russia’s role in global energy flows, LNG supply expectations, China’s strategic stockpiling, and why energy security is increasingly being driven by strategy rather than market theory.Rather than predicting dramatic crashes or price spikes, this episode offers a grounded view of why oil markets may remain far more balanced than forecasts suggest, and what that means for 2026 and beyond.This episode is essential viewing for anyone tracking global energy markets, geopolitics, and the forces shaping oil prices in the years ahead.Register for India Energy Week 2026: https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegate

Why CNG is beating petrol and diesel in India’s cities is no longer a prediction. It is already changing everyday mobility and household energy choices across urban India.In this India Energy Week 2026 special episode of The Core Report, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Managing Director, Indraprastha Gas Limited. The conversation explains why CNG adoption in India is accelerating faster than petrol and diesel, even as electric vehicles dominate public debate.From Delhi NCR to emerging cities and rural regions, this episode breaks down the real drivers behind CNG’s growth. Lower running costs, cleaner emissions, improved vehicle performance, shorter refuelling queues, and a rapidly expanding CNG station network are making gas the preferred fuel for a large segment of India’s middle-income urban population.The discussion also goes beyond mobility to examine India’s broader gas-based economy. It explores piped natural gas for homes and villages, compressed biogas from agricultural and municipal waste, domestic gas production, imported LNG, and how city gas distribution companies are quietly reshaping energy access across the country.This episode cuts through assumptions and forecasts to offer a grounded view of how affordability, infrastructure, and scale are shaping India’s energy transition in real time, and why CNG continues to gain relevance alongside newer technologies.Register for India Energy Week 2026: https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegate

From Oil To Hydrogen BPCL’s roadmap for India’s energy transition is at the heart of this special episode of The Core Report from India Energy Week 2026. Financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj is in conversation with Sanjay Khanna, Director Refineries and Additional Charge of Chairman and Managing Director at BPCL, on how India’s energy future is being shaped amid global uncertainty and rising demand.As India navigates the shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy, this discussion explores how BPCL is strengthening its core refining and fuel operations while investing in hydrogen, ethanol, renewables, petrochemicals, and digital transformation. The conversation offers a rare inside view of Project Aspire, BPCL’s long-term strategy to drive growth, energy security, and decarbonisation at scale.Sanjay Khanna explains BPCL’s green hydrogen journey, including falling hydrogen costs, electrolyser projects, and the role of hydrogen in mobility and transport. He also shares why oil and gas will continue to coexist with renewables in India’s energy mix, how geopolitical risks are managed through diversified crude sourcing, and what makes Indian refineries uniquely flexible in handling global crude varieties.The episode also covers ethanol blending, biofuels, flex fuel readiness, LNG as a transition fuel, renewable energy expansion, carbon capture, petrochemicals, and the growing role of AI and digital tools in improving refinery efficiency and reliability. For professionals following India’s economy, energy security, climate goals, or corporate strategy, this conversation delivers depth, clarity, and long-term perspective.This India Energy Week 2026 special edition is essential viewing for business leaders, consultants, policymakers, investors, and professionals seeking to understand how India is balancing growth, sustainability, and energy transition in a rapidly changing world.Subscribe to The Core Report for trusted conversations on business, energy, policy, and the forces shaping India’s future.Register for India Energy Week 2026: https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegate