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Module - III Geo-Strategy

Security and Geo-Strategy
7.2 Energy Resources and Natural Resources are major
contributor to the economy

Energy and natural resources are vital for the economy of any country. India has
several such energy resources like coal, petroleum, hydro-electricity and atomic power.
Similarly, India is gifted with various natural resources like vast river systems for
Note generating hydro-electricity, natural vegetation, forests and a wide variety of mineral
resources all of which potentially contribute for the economic power of the country. A
country which has the gift of natural resources can be a powerful country and capable
of maintaing strong defence forces. Let us now learn about the major energy resources
and potential of India.

7.2.1 Energy Resources

The major power resources of the country can be categorized into four: 1) coal 2)
petroleum 3) hydro-electricity and 4) atomic power.
1) Coal is still the principle source of power in India. India is the ninth largest coal
producing country in the world. The main coal deposits are in Bihar, West Bengal,
Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Do you know the use of coal? It is used
in power generation for the country and also in other industrial productions like
steel industry, cement industry etc.

2) Petroleum is a very valuable source of energy which has no waste and each one
of its by-products have other use i.e. petrol, fuel oil, diesel, lubricating oil, grease
etc. Without the by-products of petroleum land, sea and air forces would be
immobilized and no modern war can be fought. Presently, India produces 14.3
million tons of oil. Important oil producing areas in India are Assam (Digboi,
Sibsagar, Bappapung, Hansapung, Naharkatia & Moran), Gujrat (Cambay,
Ankleshwar, Kobal), Punjab (Adampur,Janauri),UP (Ujhani), Besides this, the
off-shore oil is produced in Bombay High, Basin strictures in the Arabian Sea
and North Bay of Bengal. New oil explorations are going on in the deltas of
Krishna, Cauvery and Mahanadi. We are dependent on oil and are forced to
import about 70% of our need from oil producing countries such as USA, Iran
and UAE. This affects our economy.
3) Hydro-Electric Power. This power is continuous and cannot be exhausted.
Hydro-electric dams and power stations are vulnerable to air attack which may
initiate disasters like sudden sheet floods. If hydro-power is important then it is
also important to conserve and protect our water resources. An important aspect
of strategy is 'Environment Security'.

4) Atomic Power is both destructive and constructive power in the world, capable
of bringing doom and progress in the most isolated port. India has the raw

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