Samudra Manthan: A Powerful Rs. 84,084 Crore Offshore Push

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved ‘Samudra Manthan,’ the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas carrying an approved outlay of Rs. 84,084 crore, to be implemented through FY 2030-31.

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What the Scheme Actually Covers Expected Gains: Reserves, Jobs, and Domestic Manufacturing A Transformational Step Toward a Developed India Building on a Decade of Upstream Sector Reforms

The scheme brings to life what the Prime Minister described from the Red Fort on Independence Day 2025: a modern-day Samudra Manthan aimed at unlocking India’s vast offshore energy potential. It marks a significant move toward strengthening the country’s energy security, speeding up domestic exploration and production, building technological leadership, and advancing the broader vision of Viksit Bharat.

What the Scheme Actually Covers

Samudra Manthan spans a wide set of interventions across the entire offshore exploration value chain. It funds large-scale acquisition, processing and interpretation of high-quality seismic data, along with accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling and scientific drilling in frontier basins. It also supports the development of shared offshore production and evacuation infrastructure and the creation of an integrated Oil & Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone.

Beyond the exploration and infrastructure work, the scheme sets aside dedicated resources for digital programme management, capacity building, technology adoption, stakeholder engagement, and international outreach. Put together, these pieces form an integrated ecosystem meant to speed up offshore exploration and production across the country.

Expected Gains: Reserves, Jobs, and Domestic Manufacturing

Samudra Manthan is projected to add more than 600 Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) to India’s reserves, meaningfully ramp up offshore exploration activity, and lift domestic oil and gas production. Alongside that, it’s expected to create large-scale employment, strengthen indigenous manufacturing in line with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and help build a globally competitive ecosystem for offshore technologies and services.

The scheme is also expected to draw substantial investment across the exploration and production value chain, opening up long-term opportunities for industry, innovation, and economic growth.

A Transformational Step Toward a Developed India

As India works toward becoming a developed nation, Samudra Manthan stands as a transformational national initiative, one meant to unlock the country’s offshore energy resources, strengthen energy security over the long run, deepen technological capabilities, and build lasting value for the economy and generations to come.

Building on a Decade of Upstream Sector Reforms

Over the last ten years, the Government has carried out major reforms across the upstream sector, opening up nearly all offshore acreage for exploration, modernising the legislative and contractual framework, and strengthening the National Data Repository. Samudra Manthan builds directly on these reforms, ushering in a new phase of accelerated offshore exploration backed by strategic public investment, cutting-edge technology, and world-class infrastructure.

Key Takeaway: The approval of the Samudra Manthan scheme marks a major step in strengthening India’s long-term energy security by accelerating offshore oil and gas exploration through large-scale investments in seismic surveys, deepwater drilling, shared infrastructure, and advanced technologies. Building on a decade of upstream sector reforms, the scheme aims to expand domestic hydrocarbon reserves, boost production, attract investment, generate employment, and develop indigenous manufacturing and offshore service capabilities.

By creating an integrated ecosystem for exploration and production, Samudra Manthan seeks to reduce import dependence, enhance technological self-reliance, and support India’s broader vision of sustainable economic growth and Viksit Bharat.

M.C.Q.

Question 1: The recently approved Samudra Manthan scheme is a Central Sector Scheme implemented under which Ministry?