Sri Vijaya Puram, June 15: In a potentially transformative development for our islands, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri has stated that India may soon make a “major oil discovery in the Andaman Sea,” thanks to new regulatory policies and strategic exploration under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy .
In an interview published by a National News Media unit, Mr. Puri informed about the government’s ongoing efforts to boost domestic oil and gas exploration which is backed by regulatory reforms and growing investment across India’s energy sector.
Meanwhile as per sources, oil and gas exploration is ongoing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Companies like Oil India and ONGC are conducting drilling and survey operations in Andaman Sea.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas said, “I believe it’s only a matter of time before we discover a major Guyana-like reserve in the Andaman Sea. Our exploration is ongoing.”
He further added that apart from smaller discoveries, if India manages to find oil reserves in the Andaman region comparable to those in Guyana, the country could transform from a $3.7 trillion economy to a $20 trillion economy.
For Andaman, a discovery could unlock unheard-of opportunities. Local experts anticipate a surge in employment—particularly in exploration support, logistics, and allied services—as well as increased investments in infrastructure and connectivity. Energy independence would reduce transport costs and could fund better social services.
