The Core Report #828 Oil Prices Set to Spike and Markets Fall
Mar 22, 2026
Manisha Kapoor, CEO of ASCI, explains how Gen Alpha lives online and how their attention and ad recognition differ from older kids. Ankit Hakhu, Director at Crisil Ratings, outlines grid evacuation limits, curtailment risks and how these strain renewable projects. They discuss looming oil price shocks, market volatility and what transmission delays mean for India’s clean‑energy goals.
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Homegrown Fuel Innovation Is Now A National Security Issue
- India faces a structural energy reset that will get worse before it gets better due to constrained fuel supplies and geopolitics.
- Govindraj Ethiraj highlights CSIR and NCL's DME work as a homegrown technological path to reduce LPG imports and localize fuel using biomass gasification.
DME Pilot Produces 250 Kg A Day And Can Scale Fast
- NCL's pilot is producing about 250 kg/day of dimethyl ether and needs funding to scale to a demonstration plant in roughly six months.
- Dr. Ashish Lele describes the DME process as requiring only one or two reactors plus a distillation column, far simpler than refinery setups.
Ground Action Near Hormuz Will Spike Oil Risk
- Renewed US military action near Hormuz is driving immediate oil-price risk and expected market volatility this week.
- Govindraj warns that attacks and shipping disruptions will likely lift oil prices and trigger market falls, increasing uncertainty for India.