Cabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore ‘Samudra Manthan’ Scheme to Boost Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the ‘Samudra Manthan’ – National Offshore Exploration Scheme, a ₹84,084-crore initiative aimed at unlocking India’s offshore oil and gas potential, strengthening energy security and accelerating domestic hydrocarbon production over the next five years.

Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet approved the Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for implementation till 2030-31. The initiative is designed to expand offshore exploration, enhance technological capabilities and build world-class infrastructure for the country’s upstream energy sector.

The scheme draws inspiration from the Prime Minister’s Independence Day 2025 vision of a modern-day “Samudra Manthan” to harness India’s vast offshore energy resources while supporting the country’s long-term goal of becoming a developed nation.

According to the government, the programme will cover the entire offshore exploration value chain. It includes large-scale acquisition, processing and interpretation of high-quality seismic data, accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling, scientific drilling in frontier basins, development of common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure, and the establishment of an integrated Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone.

The scheme also provides for digital programme management, capacity building, technology adoption, stakeholder engagement and international outreach to create an integrated ecosystem for faster and more efficient offshore exploration and production.

The government expects the initiative to help add more than 600 Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) to the country’s hydrocarbon reserves while significantly increasing offshore exploration activities and domestic oil and gas production.

Besides enhancing energy security, the scheme is expected to generate large-scale employment, strengthen indigenous manufacturing under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, and promote a globally competitive ecosystem for offshore technologies and services. It is also projected to attract substantial investments across the exploration and production value chain, driving innovation and long-term economic growth.

The government said the scheme builds on a series of upstream sector reforms undertaken over the past decade, including opening nearly the entire offshore acreage for exploration, modernising the legislative and contractual framework, and strengthening the National Data Repository. With strategic public investment and advanced technologies, Samudra Manthan is expected to usher in a new phase of offshore energy exploration in the country.