Government’s $8 B Ocean Mission Fuels Domestic Energy Security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Samudra Manthan Mission has allocated about $8 billion to accelerate deep‑water oil and gas exploration across roughly one million square kilometres of Indian maritime territory. The budget includes $2.4 billion for high‑quality geological and geophysical data acquisition, a critical step for accurately assessing reserve potential. Oil India, as a principal public‑sector player, is leveraging this funding to expand its offshore portfolio, working closely with IIT Guwahati on research and technology transfer. The mission’s focus on deep‑water and ultra‑deep‑water blocks promises to reduce India’s heavy dependence on imported hydrocarbons, strengthen energy self‑sufficiency and create new jobs in the exploration, drilling and support services sectors.