Dilip Hiro, Journalist and Historian, addressed a selected audience on the `Importance of Oil on War and Peace' on 24 February 2007 in the Committee Hall of the School of International Relations, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Born in the Indian Subcontinent, Dilip was educated in India, Britain and America where he received a master's degree at Virginia Polytechnic and State University. He then settled in London in the mid- 1960s, and became a full- time writer, journalist and commentator. He has published twenty- seven books.

An expert on middle -east politics and having worked extensively on oil politics, Dilip explained the presence of oil in the world politics. He said, discovery of Oil is an important milestone in human explorations that has had profound influence from domestic life to industrial production and has become an integral part of the economy, foreign policy and strategies of the countries.

A look at the world politics would reveal conflict on oil be it the first and second world wars or later conflicts in the middle- east such as suez war in 1956, Iraqi invasion to Kuwait, or US presence in Iraq. Even though the present US action in Iraq has been to defend democracy, but the popular perception in Iraq is that the US military action is due to its oil resources. The US has, however, refrained from occupying its oil resource as it would have gone contrary to the Geneva Convention which makes it mandatory on the occupying country to refrain from altering the economy of the occupied country. Simultaneously, the oil industry people in the country, fearing US occupation of the oil wells, started to blow up the pipelines. Hence, oil was not privatized as desired by the Pentagon. Iraqis have been wary of western powers especially, America, which in future could control its oil resource. Accordingly to safeguard its interests the new constitution of the country categorically states that the hydrocarbons belong to the nation. (article 109) Statistics reveal that presently the US imports 61% of its oil and has nearly 3.1% of reserves whereas the Gulf has 65% of reserves. It would, thus, continue to make the middle- east a hotbed of oil politics.

Oil, however, is a finite resource and should be used carefully. Since it is an integral part of the life, it would be prudent to use it judiciously. Those activities that are essentially oil- based should continue but for the rest alternative sources should be explored. Such as aircrafts will continue to be run on aviation fuel, but for household consumption alternative sources have to be looked at such as in the coming 10 to 15 years cars would not be run on petroleum. As such hybrid cars running on electric batteries and fuel are hitting the roads. In Japan, Toyota Company has manufactured cars running on hydrogen cells. With rising demands other resources have to be explored simultaneously.

Discovery of oil is not an end in resource explorations but the quest should continue to meet rising demands. It is a challenge faced by the present generation.

	Prof. Dilip Hiro
	From Left to right. : Dr. Sharad Soni, Dr. Sangeeta Thapliyal, An eminent Prof. of SIS, JNU, Prof. Dilip Hiro, Dr. Swaran Singh, Dr. Reena Marwah, a faculty member of JNU.
	Prof. Dilip Hiro in the centre. Prof. Pushpesh Pant is seen addressing the audience. Dr. E. Sridharan is seated to the left of Prof. Hiro.

The lecture was followed by an interactive question answer session.

The lecture concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Reena Marwah.