India To Hunt Oil Deep In The Ocean! Modi Govt Approves Mega ₹84,084 Crore 'Samudra Manthan' Mission For Energy Self-Reliance

In a historic move to make the nation self-reliant in energy, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the "Samudra Manthan" National Offshore Exploration Scheme. Implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, this mega initiative comes with a massive budget of ₹84,084 crore through Financial Year 2030–31. It stands as India's most ambitious ocean oil and gas exploration project till date, designed to discover hidden energy reserves deep beneath the sea.

This decision comes as a major step toward reducing India's heavy reliance on foreign crude oil. Currently, India ranks as the world's third-largest oil consumer and spends a staggering ₹13 lakh crore (USD 144 billion) every single year on foreign oil imports. By discovering domestic oil and gas fields in our own ocean waters, the government aims to cut down these massive import bills, protect common citizens from international fuel price shocks, and strengthen the country's long-term economic growth.

Under this ambitious scheme, the government has unlocked over 99 percent of previously restricted "No-Go" offshore areas, making more than 10 lakh square kilometers of India's Exclusive Economic Zone open for exploration. Equipped with advanced seismic technology and supported by new petroleum rules and legal reforms, "Samudra Manthan" will allow expert teams to survey deep waters and tap into massive undiscovered reserves, driving India closer to complete energy independence.