据经济时报2月4日消息：印度石油部长普拉丹警告称，在去年疫情导致多数经济体萎缩之后，油价上涨可能会损害全球经济复苏。
由于石油输出国组织(欧佩克)及其包括俄罗斯在内的盟国减产使市场平衡趋向赤字，全球原油价格本周升至约一年来的最高水平。
这推动了世界这个第三大石油消费和进口国的汽油价格达到创纪录水平。
普拉丹在南亚大宗商品论坛上表示:“人为扭曲价格的努力，将对目前脆弱的全球经济复苏产生抑制作用。”
上个月，这位部长还将高油价归咎于欧佩克+。
他表示:“虽然我们不赞成过低的价格，但我们也不支持过高的价格，因为过高的价格会让印度数百万人无法获得能源。”
印度85%的石油需求和一半的天然气需求依赖进口。
普拉丹说：“如果世界必须整体发展，那么生产者和消费者之间就必须建立起相互支持的关系。依赖石油的经济体保持稳定增长符合产油国的利益。”
印度一直在实现能源多样化，以减少对中东生产商的依赖。该国认为加强与美国关系的潜力巨大，主要是依靠液化天然气进口。他认为，美国是印度十大石油供应国之一。
为了满足日益增长的能源需求，印度还将在国内项目上投资1,430亿美元，以提高当地产量和建设油气基础设施，包括将炼油能力提高80%，至每天900万桶。
普拉丹表示，印度正在采用更清洁的能源来推动经济增长，但基本负荷将继续由石油和天然气来满足。
冯娟 摘译自 经济时报
原文如下：
India warns rising oil prices may dampen global economic recovery
India's oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan warned on Thursday that rising oil prices could hurt global economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that caused most economies to shrink last year.
Global crude oil prices rose to their highest in about a year this week as production cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies including Russia tilted the market balance towards a deficit.
That has propelled gasoline prices to record levels in the world's third biggest oil consuming and importing nation.
"Efforts at artificially distorting prices will have a dampening effect on the fragile global economic recovery that is underway," Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at the South Asia Commodities Forum of S&P Global Platts.
Last month also, the minister blamed OPEC+ for high oil prices.
"While we do not favour too low prices, we also do not support high prices, which deny energy access to millions in India," he said.
India imports about 85% of its oil needs and half of gas demand.
"If the world has to grow as a whole, there has to be a mutually supportive relationship between producers and consumers. It is in the interests of producers that oil-dependent economies keep growing steadily," Pradhan said.
India has been diversifying its energy sources to cut dependence on Middle Eastern producers, he said, adding the nation sees 'enormous potential' to strengthen its relations with the U.S., mainly on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The U.S. is one of the top ten oil suppliers to India, he said.
To meet its growing energy needs India is also investing $143 billion in domestic projects to boost local outputs and build oil and gas infrastructure including an 80% jump in refining capacity to 9 million barrels per day, he said.
Pradhan said the country is adopting cleaner energy sources to fuel its economic expansion but baseload will continue to be met by oil and gas.
