Samudra Manthan Scheme: India's Ambitious Offshore Hydrocarbon Exploration Mission

Samudra Manthan Scheme: India's Ambitious Offshore Hydrocarbon Exploration Mission

Introduction

India is the world's third-largest consumer of energy and one of the largest importers of crude oil and natural gas. More than 85% of the country's crude oil requirement and nearly half of its natural gas demand are met through imports. This high dependence exposes India to geopolitical disruptions, volatile international oil prices, and supply-chain uncertainties. To address these challenges, the Government of India has launched the Samudra Manthan Scheme, one of the largest offshore hydrocarbon exploration programmes in India's history.

Approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2026, the scheme aims to systematically explore India's offshore sedimentary basins using advanced seismic surveys, deep-water drilling and modern exploration technologies. The programme derives its name from the ancient Indian legend of Samudra Manthan, symbolising the search for valuable resources hidden beneath the ocean. The article below combines information available in the uploaded transcript with official Government press releases, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas documents and other open-source government publications.

I. Background and Historical Evolution

India began hydrocarbon exploration soon after Independence with the establishment of the Oil and Natural Gas Directorate in 1955, which later became the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) in 1956.

Major discoveries followed in:

• Assam Oil Fields
• Gujarat Basin
• Bombay High (1974)
• Krishna-Godavari Basin
• Cauvery Basin
• Mahanadi Basin

Despite these discoveries, India's domestic production has remained largely stagnant while energy demand has expanded rapidly due to industrialisation, urbanisation and economic growth.

Several policy initiatives attempted to encourage exploration, including: