India Holds 74 Days of Crude Oil Reserves — And Eyes a Guyana-Scale Discovery in the Andaman Sea
Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Suresh Gopi confirm strategic stockpiles are over 3.37 MMT, even as the government accelerates offshore exploration in frontier basins that could fundamentally reshape India's energy future.
India is ramping up deep-water offshore exploration — including frontier zones in the Andaman Sea — as part of its energy security push. (Representative image / Public Domain)
India currently holds strategic crude oil reserves of approximately 3.372 million metric tonnes (MMT) — around 64 per cent of the country's total underground storage capacity of 5.33 MMT — even as the nation braces for continued disruption in Middle East supply chains. When combined with commercial stockpiles held at refineries, floating storage at ports, and petroleum products across the supply chain, India's total petroleum reserve cover stands at 74 days, according to statements made by senior government ministers in Parliament.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri told the Rajya Sabha that India, now the world's third-largest crude oil consumer, must maintain a robust and secure petroleum reserve to remain resilient during periods of global turbulence. The minister noted that the International Energy Agency (IEA) recommends member countries hold around 90 days of reserves, and that India's current 74-day cover — while significant — leaves room for further growth.
📊 India's Crude Oil Reserves — Key Numbers at a Glance
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been vocal about India's energy security roadmap, including the potential for a massive Andaman Sea oil discovery. (Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
What Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Said
In a statement before the Rajya Sabha, Minister Puri confirmed that India's crude oil position is secured and that domestic LPG supply is fully protected for 33 crore families. He stressed that the government's first priority remains an uninterrupted energy supply, particularly for the poor and underprivileged, even as the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global shipping lane — faces its most significant disruptions in recorded history due to the West Asia conflict.
"India has no role in causing the West Asia conflict, but has to navigate through its consequences. Despite this, our crude oil position is secured."
— Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Statement in Lok SabhaThe minister also stated that LPG production has been ramped up by 28 per cent through refinery directives, and that large LNG cargoes are arriving on an almost daily basis through alternative supply routes. Natural gas supply has been managed through prioritised allocation and remains stable, he added.
Separately, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi confirmed in a written reply to Parliament that the current strategic reserve stands at 3.372 MMT — about 64 per cent of total SPR capacity. He noted in a March 2025 Lok Sabha reply that the aim of the ongoing SPR expansion is to enhance India's ability to counter external shocks.
Key Quote — MoS Suresh Gopi (Parliament, March 2025): "The aim of the expansion is to enhance India's ability to counter external shocks. Currently, ISPRL has around 3.372 million tonnes of crude stock available, which is around 64 per cent of the total storage capacity."
India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Infrastructure
India's strategic underground crude oil caverns are managed by the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The three operational facilities are located in:
- Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — 1.3 MMT capacity
- Mangaluru, Karnataka — 1.5 MMT capacity
- Padur, Karnataka — 2.5 MMT capacity (largest)
Two new SPR facilities are under construction — a 29.3-million-barrel reserve in Chandikhol, Odisha and an 18.3-million-barrel facility in Padur, Karnataka — being developed under a public-private partnership model. The government allocated Rs 55.97 billion (approximately USD 647 million) in the 2025–26 Union Budget specifically for purchasing crude oil for these reserves.
In a landmark commercialisation deal, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has been permitted to utilise a 750,000-tonne cavern at Mangalore, marking India's first strategic reserve under foreign commercial partnership. India plans to create its first fully private-managed Strategic Petroleum Reserve by 2029–30.
The Andaman Sea — a frontier zone in India's offshore oil exploration — could hold reserves comparable to Guyana's game-changing deepwater find, according to Minister Puri. (Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The Andaman Sea Gambit: India's Potential "Guyana Moment"
Perhaps the most striking claim from Minister Puri in recent months has been about the Andaman Sea. The minister stated that early offshore explorations in the Andaman region are showing "green shoots" and could lead to the discovery of substantial oil reserves — potentially holding as much as 184,440 crore litres of crude oil, comparable to Guyana's transformational deep-water discovery by ExxonMobil.
Puri cited Guyana's example — where oil was found in the 47th well after 46 dry attempts — to underscore the persistence required. "We believe India holds the potential of several Guyanas, particularly in the Indian Ocean region," he stated, expressing confidence that India is on the verge of a major find. If the estimates prove reliable, India could hold as many as 11.6 billion barrels of crude oil, enough to meet all domestic energy needs and even begin exporting fuel.
"This discovery reflects the capability to turn around the Indian economy from a USD 3.7 trillion to a USD 20 trillion economy."
— Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, on Andaman Sea oil potentialRecent discoveries from the government's Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) rounds are adding momentum. Surya Mani (OALP Round 6), drilled at 2,323 metres, has an estimated potential of 4 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent. Neel Mani (OALP Round 5), drilled at 1,117 metres, holds 1.2 million metric tonnes. Indian government has also opened over 1 million square kilometres of previously closed sedimentary basins for exploration — and less than 8 per cent of India's total 3.5 million square kilometres of sedimentary basin had been explored until recently.
Diversifying Supply: India Now Imports from 41 Countries
As of early 2026, India is importing crude oil from 41 countries, up from 27 earlier, with new suppliers including the USA, Nigeria, Angola, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, alongside traditional Middle Eastern suppliers such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. India spent over USD 110 billion in the first 11 months of the 2025–26 fiscal year on importing approximately 226 million tonnes of crude — about 88.7 per cent of its oil needs.
India currently holds the world's fourth-largest refining capacity at around 260 million tonnes per annum, set to rise to 320 million tonnes. It is also the fifth-largest exporter of petroleum products globally. The government has concurrently set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by end-2025, with the ethanol industry estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 10 million tonnes and save up to Rs 40,000 crore annually on crude imports.
Bottom Line: India's 74-day petroleum reserve buffer, growing SPR infrastructure, and the potential Andaman Sea mega-discovery together paint a picture of a nation aggressively pursuing energy independence — even as it remains the world's third-largest crude importer in the short term.
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