Mar 17: Globally, international suppliers of LNG -- from Canada to Australia -- are taking a renewed interest in India. 8More starkly, in April 2016, LNG imports grew by 45 percent as compared to April 2015. The sharp and sustained growth has caused India to become a magnet for international suppliers, and many of them are evolving new strategies for penetrating deep into the local market, not just as suppliers but also as market makers. 8Concomitant with increased imports is terminal capacity increases. A string of investment commitments to terminals along the eastern and western seaboard is set to enhance India’s terminal capacity to three times the present level within a relatively short 5 year time frame. 8In fact, the anticipation is that demand for gas will grow more rapidly in the 2020-25 period on the back of strong economic growth. 8The argument now is that rapid growth in gas demand can be fueled by unlocking constraints of pipeline infrastructure, pricing and contractual rigidities in end use markets, and lack of liquidity in the wholesale gas markets. 8Despite having become one of the largest gas markets in the world, the structural rigidities in the market are very substantial, hindering its growth and making it difficult for international and Indian players to commit investments. 8There is recognition that the lack of liquidity causes high prices, suboptimal use and underinvestment in the sector. There is also a realization that the upstream, midstream and downstream segments can no longer be progressed in isolation. Click on Reports for more