ABSTRACT
This chapter is divided into four sections. Section I discusses the global oil industry, different sectors and the different type of oil companies which operate in the global oil industry. Section II discusses the oil industry in India and the operations of key players in the upstream and downstream oil sector in India. Section III discusses the oil industry in China and the operations of key players in the upstream and downstream oil sector in China. Section IV highlights the significance of the independent variable or the difference in the economic and political power between India and China and illustrates how it has led to differences in the scale and operations of oil companies from the two countries. It compares and contrasts the diplomatic, political and financial support received by Chinese and Indian oil companies from their respective governments, internal rate of return or the rate of return on capital/investment, rate of interest on loans and the ease of availability of loans or finance, the ability to take risks, the difference in the level of technology and ability to acquire technology and project management skills.
