Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will lead a high-level delegation, comprising a group of dozen-odd businessmen, who have stakes in oil, gas and power sectors and half-a dozen senior bureaucrats, to Russia on October 25 for World Energy Week.
“A high-level delegation, led by Chief Minister Modi, will visit Russia,” a senior official in the Chief Minister Office (CMO) said, adding the delegation will explore the opportunities in energy sector in Russia.
The delegation members will take part in the events to be held in Russia during the World Energy Week that starts from October 26, he said. “Modi will be flying from Ahmedabad in a chartered plane, to be hired from one of the top business houses,” a senior official said.
Among those who are likely to fly with Modi to Moscow include Parimal Nathwani of Reliance Industries Ltd, Sudhir Mehta of Torrent Energy, Shashi Ruia of the Essar group, Gautam Adani of the Adani group and Nitin Shukla of Shell Hazira Gas, and others.
Senior officials to accompany him are chief secretary D Rajagopalan, Modi’s principal secretary K Kailashnathan, principal secretary, energy, S Jagadeesan, and managing director, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC), D Jagatheesa Pandian.
Modi will be making a presentation on Gujarat’s energy scenario at the international meet. “Modi will hold meetings with representatives of some of the top groups engaged in the energy sector,” the official said. According to him, memorandum of understanding (MoUs) are also likely to be signed with private companies( Gazprom for oil and gas exploration and STG, a gas transmission company) as well as state entities regarding cooperation in the energy sector. The visit will go a long way in making Gujarat gas capital of India, something Modi has been striving for. India’s 40 per cent of gas requirements are currently met in Gujarat.