IEA Full Membership for India | 25 Feb 2026

Source: IE

The International Energy Agency (IEA) welcomed progress on India’s request for full membership, marking a significant step in integrating the world’s 3rd-largest energy consumer into global energy governance.

• India, an IEA associate member since 2017, faces a complex path to full membership as the IEA framework restricts it to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, an organization India has no inclination to join.

International Energy Agency

• About IEA: The IEA is an intergovernmental body established in 1974 by 17 OECD countries in response to the global oil crisis caused by the Arab oil embargo (1973–1974) during the Yom Kippur War (1973). Its original mandate was to ensure stable oil supplies and manage energy emergencies.
  • Members must hold strategic oil reserves equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports, which can be released during supply disruptions.
• Evolving Role of IEA: The IEA's role has diversified significantly. It now concerns itself with a variety of energy sources, including renewables, and focuses heavily on climate change, decarbonisation, energy transitions, and critical minerals programmes.
• Membership Expansion: Full membership was historically open only to OECD nations. It currently has 32 full members, with Colombia set to become the 33rd after joining the OECD in 2020. 
  • In 2015, the IEA introduced the associate member category for non-OECD countries, and it currently has 13 associate members. The associate members participate in the policy discussions and activities, but do not have decision-making rights. 
• India's Strategic Importance: The IEA accounts for 80% of global energy demand when including its associate members (India, China, Brazil, etc). The IEA itself notes that India is poised to see the largest energy demand growth of any country in the world over the next three decades.
• Key Publications: Publishes flagship reports like the World Energy Outlook, World Energy Investment Report, and the Global Energy Review.