Near 100% electrification of Indian Railways strengthens domestic energy security amidst West Asia conflict

As conflict intensifies between Iran, Israel, and the US, India finds itself in a  fix. With nearly 90% of its crude oil imported, India’s vulnerability to disruptions in West Asia has reached a critical tipping point.

At the centre of the crisis is the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage through which 20-25% of global oil flows. For India, this corridor is a literal lifeline; approximately half of its crude oil and natural gas imports transit through these Iranian-monitored waters. Experts warn that even a partial blockage would trigger a massive supply shock, with insurance premiums for shipping already surging by 50% overnight.

With higher crude prices, petrol and diesel costs are set to shoot up. Rapid electrification across transport sectors is crucial. An example is being set by Indian Railways.

As of January 2026, 99.4% of its broad-gauge rail network has been electrified, according to a report by Riding Sunbeams. The world’s biggest national transporter is quite close to complete electrification. 

This leads to cuts in diesel consumption by 178 crore litres in 2024–25, achieving a 62% reduction since 2016–17. India mostly relies on crude oil imports to process diesel and petrol, transportation of which relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz.

Every sustained rise in global crude prices increases the country’s annual import bill, placing pressure on inflation, public finances and household costs. 

By shifting from diesel to electricity across the rail network, India reduces the energy dependence, while enhancing its climate goals, and strengthening national energy resilience. 

Reduced fuel dependency

The electrification of railways has multiple positive ripple effects. Not only does it majorly cut diesel consumptions compared to the mid-2010s baseline, it also brings down lowering operating costs. It also insulates rail operations from fossil fuel price shocks, especially while a global oil crisis is ongoing. 

Also, the shift from diesel to electric has in-built long term savings. Electric powered trains are approximately 70% more economical than diesel run ones. 

The transition is also accelerating the integration of renewable energy. Installed solar capacity across the railway network has grown from just 3.68 MW in 2014 to 898 MW by November 2025, with nearly 70 per cent of that capacity directly supporting traction requirements. Solar installations now span over 2,600 railway stations, service buildings.

Racing ahead

According to the report, this 99.4% electrification places India at the forefront of rail electrification worldwide and far ahead of major rail economies including China and the UK in terms of network electrification share. 

Out of 70,001 route kilometres of Broad Gauge track, 69,427 route kilometres have already been electrified, with only limited sections across five states pending completion. Two thirds of India’s rail electrification has been delivered in the past ten years, according to Riding Sunbeams.

Very few countries have achieved fully electrified railways, and Indian Railways’ network is thirteen times the size of the next largest, in Switzerland.

“By electrifying its entire railway network and committing to net zero by 2030, India is lighting the way for the rest of the world, and demonstrating clearly how infrastructure strategy can strengthen both climate ambition and energy security. Few countries have moved at this pace or scale. Reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels while rapidly expanding home-grown renewable electricity is not only a climate imperative, it is a resilience strategy in an increasingly volatile world,” said Leo Murray, CEO of Riding Sunbeams.