Archive · 31 Jul 2026
India Approves ₹84,084-Crore Offshore Exploration Scheme
India’s government has decided to spend a lot of money—about 84,000 crore rupees—to look for oil and gas in the ocean.
They will help companies drill deep wells, take pictures of the sea floor, and build shared facilities to bring the oil to shore.
The plan is expected to find a lot more oil, about 600 million tonnes, and make India less dependent on buying oil from other countries.
The money will be used over the next six years, until 2031.
This move comes as India wants to be safer from oil price shocks and supply problems caused by conflicts in the Middle East.
Cabinet approved the Samudra Manthan scheme with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore for offshore oil and gas exploration.
The scheme will fund deep‑sea drilling, seismic surveys, common infrastructure, and an integrated manufacturing and services zone.
It offers up to ₹650 crore per deep‑sea well and allocates ₹43,200 crore for drilling, ₹28,534 crore for data acquisition, ₹10,000 crore for infrastructure, and ₹2,000 crore for a manufacturing zone.
The government expects the programme to add more than 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent to India’s reserves and reduce import dependence.
Implementation runs until fiscal year 2030‑31, amid concerns over Middle East supply disruptions and rising domestic energy demand.
- Who
- Union Cabinet, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- What
- Approval of the Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme
- When
- Friday, 2025
- Where
- India, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- Why
- To boost offshore oil and gas exploration, reduce import dependence, and strengthen energy security
- Outlay
- ₹84,084 crore
- Duration
- FY2025-26 to FY2030-31
- Target reserve accretion
- over 600 MMTOE
- Support per well
- up to ₹650 crore
- Drilling allocation
- ₹43,200 crore
- Data acquisition allocation
- ₹28,534 crore
- Infrastructure allocation
- ₹10,000 crore
- Manufacturing zone allocation
- ₹2,000 crore
Sources
Cabinet okays ₹84,000 crore for Samudra Manthan, extends PM-Kisan
Government greenlights Rs 84,000-crore scheme to boost offshore oil & gas exploration, production
Cabinet Approves Rs 84,084 cr Samudra Manthan Scheme To Explore Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration