Energy Security and India–ASEAN Regional Grid Connectivity and Power Trading: Impediments and Intervention Required

As the South and Southeast Asian economies are growing very fast there, will be a high demand for energy sources. No country in the region is self-reliant or self-sufficient to meet the electricity demand. Therefore, there is a big concern about ensuring energy security in the region. Power trading and energy cooperation among the region can help the countries to meet the electricity demand and thus ensure energy security. Advancing power trade requires efficient grid connectivity. In 2018, India launched the One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative, which aims to connect India to Southeast Asia—facilitating increased power trade. Despite many challenges, such as regulatory disparities, infrastructure limitations and geopolitical complexities, regional grid connectivity between India and Southeast Asia would bring many opportunities for investment, technology transfer and employment generation. JEL Classification: F2, Q2, Q4