India is a lower-middle-income country in South Asia with 1.46 billion people, most of them living in rural areas. Heat makes up 60% of the energy it uses, well above the world average of about 47%.
Wood and other biomass is the largest source of heat (46%), followed by coal (32%). In total, 53% of the heat comes from coal, oil and gas. Electricity makes up 19% of energy use and is generated mainly from fossil fuels (77%).
The country
| Population | 1.46 billion2025 |
|---|---|
| GDP per capita | US$ 2,7002025 |
| Area | 3,287,300 km²2024 |
| Urban population | 36%2025 |
| Access to electricity | 100%2024 |
| Access to clean cooking | 81%2024 |
| Final energy use | 7,738 TWh2023 |
Where the energy goes
Final energy use in India, 2023: 7,738 TWh.
- Heat60%
- Electricity19%
- Transport21%
Heat in five numbers
| Heatshare of all final energy use | 60% |
|---|---|
| Fossil heatshare of heat that comes from coal, oil and gas | 53% |
| Biomass and wastethe largest single source of heat | 46% |
| Electricityshare of final energy use, excluding transport | 19% |
| Fossil electricityshare of electricity generated from coal, oil and gas | 77% |
Heat is all fuel and district heating used in industry, buildings and agriculture. Electricity that becomes heat, for example in electric cookers and water heaters, is counted as electricity because no data is available, so the true heat share is somewhat higher.
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