‘Samudra Manthan' scheme designed to benefit Adani, says Congress

Alleging that the Centre’s ₹84,084-crore Samudra Manthan scheme for offshore hydrocarbon exploration was designed to benefit the Adani Group, the Congress on Monday (August 31, 2026) demanded that it either be scrapped or that its entire outlay be diverted to the public sector Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said the Union Cabinet approved the scheme last month with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore for its first phase, and claimed that it had created a framework under which companies undertaking offshore exploration, including Adani-owned Well Spun Exploration Limited (AWEL), would receive substantial financial support from the government.

“The Narendra Modi government has designed a framework in which Adani will be doled out support under the Samudra Manthan scheme,” he alleged.

There was no response from the government or the Adani Group to the Congress’s allegations.

Mr. Gohil said the government would provide up to 50% financial support for activities including deep-sea drilling, 2D and 3D seismic surveys, artificial intelligence-assisted reprocessing of geological data, and the development of offshore infrastructure.

Oil exploration, particularly in deep-sea areas, is a very expensive business, Mr. Gohil said, claiming that the cost of drilling a single deep-sea exploration well could exceed ₹1,100 crore.

He said AWEL had exploration rights in blocks in the Mumbai Offshore Basin, Tapi-Daman and Kutch, and had announced plans to begin major oil and gas exploration activities in the coming months.

Questioning the government’s decision to provide financial support to private companies, Mr. Gohil asked why ONGC, which had decades of experience in hydrocarbon exploration, was not being given the primary role in the national mission.

“Why is the Modi government damaging the interests of its own ONGC to benefit one private company?” he asked.

“We demand that the Samudra Manthan scheme should be scrapped or the entire amount of ₹84,084 crore should be diverted to the government’s own public-sector energy giant, ONGC, to create jobs and facilitate exploration,” Mr. Gohil said.

The government has described Samudra Manthan, or the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, as a Central Sector scheme aimed at reducing exploration risks and encouraging investment in the hydrocarbon sector.

According to the government, the scheme, to be implemented until 2030-2031, aims to strengthen India’s energy security, accelerate domestic exploration and production, and promote technological development.