India is taking steady and confident steps towards oil self-sufficiency, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the country is securing its energy future, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday.
With one million square kilometres of offshore area now open for oilfield exploration and 99 per cent of ‘No-Go’ areas cleared, the minister announced on social media platform X that the groundwork is being laid for major energy progress.
The oil and gas blocks offered under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) have already attracted interest from both global and domestic energy players, and Round X is expected to set new benchmarks for participation and investment.
“25 blocks under OALP-X; 154 exploration blocks active; 14 new oil and gas discoveries; ₹792 crore invested in Mission Anveshan; 6,200 GLKM of seismic data already collected; ONGC producing 34,000 BOPD oil and 3 MMSCMD gas,” he said.
This month, the Petroleum Ministry invited feedback and suggestions on the Draft Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, Model Revenue Sharing Contract (MRSC), and Petroleum Lease – part of a series of pathbreaking policy reforms aimed at promoting exploration and production in the oil and gas sector.
The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, was amended in March 2025, and the new PNG Rules were issued within three months, ahead of OALP Round X – the largest exploration and production bidding round globally, aligned with PM Modi’s vision for the sector.
“This is a great time for entrepreneurs and industry leaders to look at oil and gas exploration in India. It has never been easier, faster, or more profitable to invest in India’s energy future,” Puri said.
The minister also highlighted that clean cooking fuel is now part of daily life for nearly every Indian, with close to 100 per cent geographic and population coverage.
“From 55 cities in 2014 to 300+ cities and towns, from 25 lakh kitchens to 1.5 crore homes today – India’s city gas distribution networks have ushered in a revolution under PM Modi,” he added.
