Parliament Question: National Mission for Deep Ocean Exploration

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1092 ANSWERED ON 09/02/2026 NATIONAL MISSION FOR DEEP OCEAN EXPLORATION 1092 # SMT. DARSHANA SINGH: Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state: (a) the blocks explored and allocated so far under the National Mission for Deep Ocean Exploration; (b) the contribution of this mission so far to domestic oil and gas production; (c) the outcomes achieved by this mission in reducing import dependence and enhancing energy security; and (d) the progress made so far in the field of deep water and unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and the future plans thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI) (a): National Deepwater Exploration Mission was announced under Samudra Manthan on 15.08.2025, a landmark initiative to unlock the vast hydrocarbon potential of India’s deepwater basins. No blocks have been allocated under the Mission so far. (b) & (c): Does not arise in view of above. (d): Government have undertaken various policy measures for deep-water and unconventional Hydrocarbon exploration which inter-alia include: (i) Announcement of National Deepwater Exploration Mission under Samudra Manthan with an objective to augment hydrocarbon resources and reserves and to enable their timely conversion into production. (ii) Appraisal of Un-appraised areas in Sedimentary Basins under National Seismic Programme, 2017. (iii) Release of about 1 Million Sq. Km. (SKM) ‘No-Go’ area in offshore which were blocked for exploration for decades in 2022. (iv) Government have approved acquisition of additional 2D Seismic data of 20,000 LKM in onland and 30,000 LKM in offshore beyond Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India.(v) Hydrocarbon Resource Assessment Study (HRAS 2025) has been launched on 17.07.2025 for resource assessment across all Indian sedimentary basins. (vi) As on date, 22 deep water and ultra-deep water exploration blocks have been awarded under various Open Acreages Licensing Policy (OALP) Bid Rounds. In these blocks, 8 exploratory wells have been drilled in the Mahanadi, Cauvery, Krishna-Godavari (KG) and Andaman basins. As a result, 3 hydrocarbon discoveries have been notified in Mahanadi and Cauvery basins. (vii) National Gas Hydrate Programme (NGHP) had been launched by the Government for exploration of Gas Hydrate in India. Till date, Two major expedition namely NGHP-01 (2006) and NGHP-02 (2015) have been completed. *******