New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- Despite the government's stated policy goal of increasing the share of natural gas in India's energy basket, consumption of the environmentally friendly fuel fell 8.6% annually in the April-October period of FY26, according to data from the petroleum planning and analysis cell (PPAC).

In absolute terms, consumption declined to 40,068 million metric standard cubic metres (mmscm) during the first seven months of FY26, compared to 43,583 mmscm over the same period in FY25.

Mint takes a close look at why natural gas consumption is declining, and how the government's plan to increase its share in India's energy consumption basket from 6% at present to 15% by 2030 is likely to shape up.

India's natural gas consumption h...