Archive · 15 Aug 2026
PM Modi: 99% 'no-go' coastal waters now open for exploration
India celebrated its 80th Independence Day with a big speech by its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He stood at the famous Red Fort and made an exciting announcement about the ocean.
For a long time, India did not let people search for oil, gas, or minerals under most of its coastal waters.
Modi called that old rule a mistake and a 'poverty of thought.'
Now those waters are open, and India wants to explore what is under the seabed.
The plan is called Samudra Manthan, and the government will spend a huge amount of money on it.
Finding oil and gas at home is important because India buys a lot of oil from other countries.
This can help India have safer and more reliable energy.
Modi also shared that many more homes now have piped gas than before.
It is a big step toward making India stronger in energy.
PM Modi announced on India's 80th Independence Day that nearly 99% of previously 'no-go' coastal waters are now open for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration.
The Samudra Manthan initiative includes the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, approved on July 31, 2026, with a first-phase outlay of ₹84,084 crore up to FY 2030-31.
The government recently allocated about ₹85,000 crore to accelerate the offshore exploration programme.
India's eastern and western offshore basins, reaching depths of up to 3,000 metres, are estimated to hold more than 5,600 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent in hydrocarbon potential.
Modi linked the plan to energy security, noting India is the world's third-largest crude oil consumer with an annual import bill of nearly $144 billion.
Piped gas distribution has expanded from about 70 cities before 2014 to 700 cities, with household connections rising from 20-22 lakh to 1.75 crore.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- What
- Announced that nearly 99% of previously off-limits coastal waters are now open for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration under the Samudra Manthan plan
- When
- Saturday, August 15, 2026, on India's 80th Independence Day
- Where
- Red Fort, India
- Why
- To boost domestic seabed resource production and strengthen India's energy security amid a large oil import bill
- Occasion
- 80th Independence Day address from the Red Fort
- Initiative
- Samudra Manthan / National Offshore Exploration Scheme
- Scheme approval date
- July 31, 2026
- First-phase outlay
- ₹84,084 crore up to FY 2030-31
- Recent accelerated allocation
- About ₹85,000 crore
- Coastal waters previously off-limits
- Nearly 99%
- Estimated hydrocarbon potential
- Over 5,600 MMTOE in deepwater/ultra-deepwater basins
- Oil import bill
- Nearly $144 billion (~₹13 lakh crore) annually