India, March 24 -- Oil and gas together account for 36% of India's primary energy supply, yet India imports ~90% of its crude oil and 47% of its natural gas. The Strait of Hormuz, now effectively closed, is the transit route for over 50% of India's crude oil imports and 55-60% of its liquified natural gas (LNG) imports. India has limited options to fall back on, despite turning to spot LNG markets and the temporary relief in buying Russian crude. Rising crude prices have already driven up liquified petroleum gas (LPG) prices and could drive up petrol, diesel, and CNG prices as well, with knock-on effects across the economy. India's energy security cannot rely on reacting to crises in concentrated supply chains. The first priority is to strengthen storage buffers. India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) provides only 9-10 days of net crude oil import cover (74, including commercial inventories). This is below the 90-day benchmark recommended by the International Energy Agency. Japan holds nearly 200 days of reserves and South Korea ~207. In these countries, minimum stockholding levels are statutory obligations on both government and industry, whereas India's SPR targets rest on cabinet resolutions and executive orders. The planned expansion by 6.5 million tonnes by 2027 should be accelerated under clear statutory obligation, with defined stockholding requirements for oil marketing companies. India also currently has no dedicated strategic gas reserves to cushion price-sensitive sectors like fertiliser production and piped gas. During the 2022-23 gas price spike, the fertiliser subsidy bill exceeded $30 billion. Underutilised capacity at India's LNG terminals (operating at 50% utilisation on average) could be used as an interim strategic buffer. GAIL has planned 3-4 billion cubic metres of storage in depleted gas fields. India should build substantially more gas reserves and also future-proof new strategic reserves to be green-hydrogen-ready from the outset. Electrification of road transport also strengthens energy security. Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) finds that electric two- and three-wheelers are already cheaper to own than their petrol- or gas-powered counterparts. They constitute 67% of India's petrol consumption, demand for which is projected to peak by 2032. Diesel demand could likely peak only by the mid-2040s because freight electrification remains costlier. In the interim, LNG offers a pragmatic bridge for trucks and buses, moderating excessive growth in diesel demand and reducing the risk of stranded refining assets. Over the longer term, India must reduce structural dependence on imported oil and gas. First, freight should undergo modal shifts while transitioning to clean fuels. Shifting trucks to electricity or green hydrogen will require sustained domestic R&D on hydrogen and electric powertrains, and the development of hydrogen refuelling and high-capacity charging infrastructure along major freight corridors. Road-based diesel transport is projected to grow sharply through mid-century under current trends. Second, the industrial energy transition should be leveraged as a major opportunity for strategic substitution. India has nearly 3,700 GW of wind-solar hybrid power generation potential, which reduces intermittency. This could support green hydrogen production and industrial electrification. Transitioning fertiliser production from imported LNG to green hydrogen could release over 15 billion cubic metres of gas for other uses. Electrifying industrial heat and steam applications would also free up additional gas. Finally, refineries also need a clear national transition strategy. India currently imports 60% of its LPG. Reducing the share of petrol production could unlock additional domestic LPG supply from the excess naphtha currently used to produce petrol. The crisis in West Asia is a reminder that India's energy security remains tied to geopolitical events far beyond its borders. The energy transition is India's most credible long-term energy security strategy. Treating it as such, rather than primarily as an environmental commitment, is where policy must now go....