The Legal Architecture of Energy Diplomacy

This chapter explores the evolving legal architecture of energy diplomacy through a comparative lens on India and China, focusing on how both states navigate the intersection of foreign policy, sustainability obligations, and clean technology governance. Drawing on a systematic review and thematic content analysis, it examines how both states navigate this intersection. It shows that energy diplomacy has shifted from a geopolitical tool to a legal and technological instrument shaping national and transnational green transitions. The analysis synthesizes treaty law, national frameworks, and case law to reveal gaps and convergence in climate accountability, technology transfer, and environmental justice. This chapter proposes “Green Law Diplomacy” as a normative pillar of international governance, advocating for binding legal mechanisms over voluntary climate pledges to ensure equitable and sustainable transitions.