The members of the International Energy Agency have agreed to establish a “strategic partnership” with India that would serve as a pathway for the South Asian country’s eventual membership, the IEA said in a statement at the weekend.

The move is significant because the IEA, which operates under the framework of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, only allows OECD nations as members under its current charter, and India is one of eight countries that have a non-member “association” status.

“This partnership marks a step change, a new middle ground for…