News

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved 'Samudra Manthan' — the National Offshore Exploration Scheme — on 31 July 2026, with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore. The scheme is designed to accelerate India's deepwater hydrocarbon exploration and strengthen energy security.

Basic Details

  • Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
  • Type of Scheme: Central Sector Scheme.
  • Approved: 31 July 2026, by the Union Cabinet.
  • Outlay: ₹84,084 crore.
  • Duration: Up to FY 2030-31.
  • Origin: Traces to the vision PM Modi announced from the Red Fort on Independence Day 2025 for a "modern-day Samudra Manthan."

Aim and Objectives

  • To unlock India's offshore oil and gas potential and strengthen the country's energy security.
  • To accelerate domestic hydrocarbon exploration and production in deepwater and ultra-deepwater basins.
  • To promote technological leadership and indigenous manufacturing capability in offshore exploration.

Key Features

  • Seismic Survey Push: Large-scale acquisition, processing, and interpretation of high-quality seismic data across offshore basins.
  • Deepwater Drilling: Accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling, along with scientific drilling in frontier basins.
  • Shared Infrastructure: Development of common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure.
  • Manufacturing Zone: Establishment of an integrated Oil & Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone.
  • Enabling Support: Dedicated provisions for digital programme management, capacity building, technology adoption, stakeholder engagement, and international outreach.
  • ONGC's Drilling Plan: ONGC has separately outlined plans to drill 150 deepwater wells over seven years, targeting nearly 5,600 MMTOE of deepwater and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon potential.

Significance

  • Reserve Accretion: Expected to catalyse reserve accretion of over 600 Million Metric Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE).
  • Builds on Reform Decade: Follows a decade of upstream reforms — opening almost the entire offshore acreage for exploration, modernising the legislative and contractual framework, and strengthening the National Data Repository.
  • Employment and Manufacturing: Expected to generate large-scale employment and strengthen indigenous manufacturing under Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.