Based in Singapore, Vandana Hari is an energy markets expert and thought leader with three decades of experience. She founded Vanda Insights in 2017 to provide global oil markets macro-analysis. Vandana previously held senior editorial and leadership roles during her 20 years at S&P Global, including Asia Editorial Director at S&P Global Commodity Insights (formerly Platts). She also served as a research scholar at S&P Global Institute.
The UAE’s decision to quit OPEC and OPEC+ is being read primarily through a geopolitical lens. But for oil markets, the more immediate and tangible question is simpler: how quickly can supply normalise once flows through the Strait of Hormuz resume? On that front, Abu Dhabi’s move could prove constructive rather than disruptive, Vandana Hari writes in her latest column for Energy Connects.
Oil markets have reacted with textbook relief to the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran — and have likely overreached. Brent’s sharp sell-off — shedding more than $15/barrel within hours of the announcement — reflects a market eager to price out risk before the underlying conditions have meaningfully changed, Vandana Hari explains in her latest column for Energy Connects.
As the widening Middle East conflict enter a fifth day, we catch up with Vandana Hari, Founder and CEO of Vanda Insights, in the latest episode of the Energy Connects podcast. In her discussions with host Chiranjib Sengupta, Vandana explores the impact of the ongoing hostilities on global energy markets, from tanker disruptions to rising shipping risks in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite heightened geopolitical tensions, Brent crude has hovered around $80 a barrel, and Vandana explains why fears of oil prices surging into triple digits may be overstated. She outlines likely US mitigation steps, supply risks for Asian markets and why diplomacy remains the key off-ramp to restoring stability.
As tensions escalate around the Strait of Hormuz, in our latest Energy Connects Discussions Vandana Hari, Founder and CEO of Vanda Insights, highlights how energy markets are handling the risk of supply disruption, from LNG curtailments in Qatar to shipping delays affecting Asian buyers. Despite the uncertainty, oil prices have so far avoided a dramatic spike, and Vandana explains why Brent has remained relatively contained. She also explores the likelihood of US intervention to stabilise market
The war unfolding in the Middle East for a fourth day has spiralled far beyond a US-Israel-Iran confrontation. Gulf states are now directly exposed. The global economy is entangled. And the longer oil flows from the Middle East remain under threat, the greater the risk that crude surges into triple digits, inflation resurges and recession fears harden, writes Vandana Hari in her latest column.
In an exclusive studio interview with Energy Connects at India Energy Week 2026, Vandana Hari, Founder & CEO of Vanda Insights, analysed the outlook for India’s energy sector and key takeaways from India Energy Week. Reflecting on Hon. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opening remarks at the event, she highlighted India’s ambition to attract global investments while underscoring the practical challenges of turning policy into action. Vandana discussed the role of gas and LNG in reshaping Ind
The first three weeks of 2026 have delivered a sharp reminder that geopolitics, not balances alone, will set the tone for oil markets this year. The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump’s explicit threat of military action against Iran, and Washington’s revived push to acquire Greenland - now spilling into trade tensions with Europe - have together reinforced a core reality for traders and policymakers alike: supply uncertainty is back front-and-centre, even as prices appear deceptively calm.
In her exclusive monthly column, Vandana Hari analyses why the regime change in Venezuela signals a major restructuring of global energy flows - even though current oil prices remain stable. Washington’s control over Venezuela’s heavy crude and debt repayment creates significant leverage, potentially displacing Canadian exports, impacting OPEC relations, and heightening risks for major creditors like China and Russia.
A curious dynamic has taken hold of the oil market: many stakeholders are on the edge of their seats, awaiting a widely predicted glut. The usual overhang signals – the forward curve in a contango, softer spot differentials for physical barrels, and rising onshore and floating inventories, have been faint to mixed, fuelling debate and confusion.
In her exclusive monthly column, Vandana Hari, Founder and CEO of Vanda Insights, unpacks the record 610,000 b/d gap between OPEC and IEA’s 2025 oil demand growth forecasts, with OPEC projecting stronger consumption and tighter balances, while the IEA anticipates weaker emerging market demand, higher non-OPEC supply, and prolonged oversupply, leaving market participants without a clear consensus.
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