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Vandana

Vandana Hari

Founder

Vanda Insights

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.

Markets priced out the Iran war. Now they must price Hormuz politics

The US-Iran interim peace deal has not formally collapsed. But it has been overtaken by the very disputes it was supposed to manage, thrusting the oil market back into supply uncertainty three weeks after it had begun pricing a return to normality, writes Vandana Hari in her latest column.

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Thought Leadership

Oil market outlook: uncertain path to normalcy as Hormuz risks linger

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects podcast, host Chiranjib Sengupta talks to Vandana Hari, Founder & CEO of Vanda Insights and Energy Connects columnist, explores the uneven recovery of oil flows following the US–Iran peace deal. Highlighting how oil markets are cautiously moving towards normalcy despite persisting uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz, Vandana warns against reading too much into short-term data. She also discusses ongoing geopolitical risks, the role of strategic reserves in stabilising prices, and why oil did not surge to levels beyond $120 during the crisis. The conversation also looks at diversification of supply routes and offers a pragmatic outlook on long-term oil demand, highlighting its continued importance in meeting rising global energy needs.

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Podcast

Who are the oil market’s loudest warnings really for?

The oil market is no longer reacting to uncertainty — it is running out of buffer. As inventories fall towards critical lows and supply disruptions persist, warnings from global institutions and industry leaders are becoming harder to ignore, writes Vandana Hari in her latest column. The question is no longer whether markets are at risk, but who these alerts are really aimed at, and why the response remains so muted.

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Thought Leadership

UAE’s OPEC exit could speed up post-Hormuz market normalisation

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.

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Thought Leadership

Middle East conflict: oil markets misread a fragile truce

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.

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Thought Leadership

Iran strikes: what’s the outlook for the oil market?

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.

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Podcast

Iran war and oil prices: why markets remain restrained

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

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Discussions

Iran strikes: off-ramp holds the key to preserving the global energy system

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.

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Thought Leadership

India’s energy outlook: balancing ambition, affordability and security

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

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Discussions

Oil markets into early 2026: geopolitics back in the driving seat

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.

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Thought Leadership

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