The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on July 31, approved ‘Samudra Manthan’ the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, a landmark Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with an approved outlay of Rs 84,084 crore. The scheme will be implemented up to FY 2030-31 and represents one of India’s most ambitious efforts to unlock its offshore oil and natural gas potential.
Named after the ancient Indian legend of Samudra Manthan (the churning of the ocean), the scheme seeks to harness the country’s vast offshore energy resources using modern exploration technologies and world-class infrastructure.
According to the government, the initiative translates Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, articulated during his Independence Day address in 2025, of undertaking a modern-day “Samudra Manthan” to unlock India’s offshore wealth and strengthen national energy security.
The government said the programme will accelerate exploration and production, reduce dependence on imported crude oil and natural gas, encourage technological innovation and create a globally competitive offshore energy ecosystem.
What is Samudra Manthan?
Samudra Manthan is a comprehensive offshore exploration programme covering the entire oil and gas exploration value chain.
Unlike conventional schemes focused only on exploration, the initiative integrates geological surveys, deep-sea drilling, scientific research, production infrastructure, digital monitoring, manufacturing support and skill development under a single national framework.
The objective is to identify previously unexplored hydrocarbon reserves beneath India’s offshore sedimentary basins and bring them into commercial production.
Officials said the programme is designed to significantly enhance domestic oil and gas production while improving India’s long-term energy resilience.
Key components of the scheme
The scheme provides for a wide range of interventions aimed at expanding offshore exploration activities.
One of its biggest components is the large-scale acquisition, processing and interpretation of high-quality seismic data across offshore sedimentary basins.
Seismic surveys allow scientists to create detailed images of underground geological formations and identify potential oil and natural gas reserves before drilling begins.
The programme also includes accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling, enabling exploration in regions that have remained largely untapped due to technological and financial challenges.
Another important feature is scientific drilling in frontier basins, where geological information remains limited.
These scientific studies will improve understanding of India’s offshore geology and help identify future exploration opportunities.
The Cabinet has also approved the development of common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure, which will allow discovered hydrocarbons to be transported efficiently from offshore fields to processing facilities onshore.
Officials believe shared infrastructure will reduce project costs, improve operational efficiency and encourage greater participation by both public and private companies.
Integrated manufacturing and services ecosystem
A major highlight of Samudra Manthan is the proposed establishment of an Integrated Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone.
The government expects the dedicated industrial ecosystem to promote domestic manufacturing of specialised offshore equipment, drilling technologies, subsea systems and engineering services.
The initiative aligns closely with the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat programmes by encouraging indigenous production of high-value equipment currently imported from overseas.
Officials believe this will strengthen India’s manufacturing base while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical offshore technologies.
Technology-driven exploration
The scheme places significant emphasis on adopting cutting-edge technology throughout the exploration and production process.
It includes dedicated provisions for digital programme management, advanced geological modelling, modern exploration tools, artificial intelligence-based data interpretation and integrated project monitoring.
The government also plans to strengthen institutional capacity through training programmes, technology partnerships, stakeholder engagement and international collaboration.
These measures are expected to help India adopt global best practices in offshore exploration and improve the efficiency of exploration activities.
Huge boost to India’s energy security
India currently imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements and around half of its natural gas consumption.
The high dependence on imports exposes the country to fluctuations in international energy prices and geopolitical uncertainties.
The government believes increasing domestic production remains one of the most effective long-term strategies to improve energy security.
According to official estimates, Samudra Manthan is expected to catalyse reserve accretion of more than 600 Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE).
Discovery and commercial production of such reserves could significantly enhance India’s domestic hydrocarbon output over the coming decades.
Higher domestic production would help reduce import dependence, improve the country’s energy resilience and lower vulnerability to external supply disruptions.
Employment and economic impact
Beyond energy security, the scheme is expected to generate substantial economic activity.
Large-scale offshore exploration requires extensive investment across exploration, drilling, logistics, engineering, shipbuilding, offshore services, manufacturing, transportation and maintenance.
The government expects Samudra Manthan to generate significant employment opportunities across these sectors.
The initiative is also expected to stimulate fresh investments throughout the exploration and production value chain.
Private companies, equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, technology providers and research institutions are likely to benefit from increased offshore activity.
Building on a decade of reforms
The government said Samudra Manthan builds upon several major upstream sector reforms introduced over the past decade.
These include opening almost the entire offshore acreage for exploration, modernising the legislative and contractual framework governing hydrocarbon exploration and strengthening the National Data Repository.
These reforms have sought to make India’s exploration sector more transparent, investor-friendly and technologically advanced.
According to the government, the new scheme represents the next phase of these reforms by combining policy changes with substantial public investment in exploration infrastructure.
Reducing exploration risks
Offshore exploration remains one of the most capital-intensive and technologically complex activities in the energy sector.
Deepwater exploration often involves high geological uncertainty, expensive drilling operations and long project timelines.
By investing in seismic surveys, scientific drilling, common infrastructure and digital systems, the government aims to reduce exploration risks and improve commercial viability for future projects.
Officials expect these measures to attract greater private investment while accelerating exploration activities across India’s offshore basins.
Towards Viksit Bharat
The government has described Samudra Manthan as a transformational national initiative that will play an important role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The programme seeks to unlock India’s offshore energy resources while strengthening long-term energy security, technological capability and industrial competitiveness.
Officials said the initiative would help position India among leading offshore exploration nations by creating a globally competitive ecosystem for offshore technologies, engineering services and energy production.
As implementation progresses over the next five years, Samudra Manthan is expected to become one of the country’s largest offshore energy development programmes, supporting economic growth while ensuring reliable energy supplies for future generations.
