National Offshore Exploration Scheme 2026: Samudra Manthan Explained

Subject: GS 2: Polity & Governance

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the National Offshore Exploration Scheme (Samudra Manthan) with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore to accelerate deepwater and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon exploration.

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About National Offshore Exploration Scheme (Samudra Manthan)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) aimed at promoting offshore oil and gas exploration, strengthening exploration infrastructure, and attracting investments in India’s offshore hydrocarbon sector.
• Key Features:
• • Outlay: ₹84,084 crore for the period up to FY 2030–31.
  • Deepwater Exploration: ₹43,200 crore allocated for drilling 60 deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory wells, with Government support up to 50% of eligible drilling cost or ₹675 crore per well.
  • Offshore Data Acquisition: ₹28,534 crore allocated for large-scale acquisition of high-quality seismic and geoscientific data to reduce exploration risks.
  • Common Offshore Infrastructure: ₹10,000 crore allocated for developing shared offshore infrastructure to facilitate commercialisation of hydrocarbon discoveries.
  • Manufacturing & Service Zones: ₹2,000 crore allocated for establishing oil and gas manufacturing and service hubs to promote domestic production of critical equipment under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Need for the Scheme

• Declining Domestic Production: Addresses falling output from ageing oil and gas fields.
• Unlocking Offshore Potential: Promotes exploration of India’s untapped offshore hydrocarbon resources.
• Reducing Exploration Risk: Supports deepwater exploration through government assistance and improved geoscientific data.
• Reducing Import Dependence: Enhances domestic hydrocarbon production to improve energy self-reliance.

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Significance

• Strengthens Energy Security: Increases domestic production of crude oil and natural gas, reducing import dependence.
• Unlocks Hydrocarbon Resources: Aims to discover more than 600 Million Metric Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) of hydrocarbon reserves.
• Boosts Investment: Encourages greater public and private sector investment in offshore exploration and production.
• Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat: Promotes indigenous manufacturing of offshore equipment and specialised oilfield services.
• Drives Economic Growth: Generates employment, enhances technological capability, and strengthens the upstream petroleum sector.

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Conclusion

The National Offshore Exploration Scheme (Samudra Manthan) is a major initiative to unlock India’s offshore hydrocarbon potential, strengthen energy security, reduce import dependence, and advance Atmanirbhar Bharat through enhanced domestic exploration, investment, and technological capability.

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