The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a major national initiative on Friday to accelerate hydrocarbon discovery across Indian ocean basins. Official releases from the Press Information Bureau confirmed the approval of the ₹84,084 crore Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme. Implemented under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through financial year 2030–31, the central sector program is structured to expand deepwater drilling, enhance energy security, and unlock untapped oil and gas resources within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
