“Andaman Basin: India’s New Frontier in Energy Security”, India Narrative, October 10, 2025
“India’s quiet yet momentous stride in the Andaman Basin could well mark a turning point in its quest for self-reliance. Oil India Ltd (OIL), the country’s second-largest national oil company, may have just rewritten the map of India’s energy future with its first confirmed trace of natural gas in the Andaman offshore region – a development that could be as consequential as the discovery of Bombay High in the 1970s.
The story of India’s petroleum journey began in 1889 in the small town of Digboi, Assam, where Burmah Oil Company Limited (the precursor to Oil India Ltd) struck crude for the first time. For over 136 years, OIL has been synonymous with exploration and production across the country’s onshore basins. It became a Central Public Sector Enterprise in 1981 and, through decades of disciplined performance, earned the coveted Maharatna status in 2023 – joining an elite group of only 13 such enterprises in India.
With a turnover exceeding ₹41,000 crore and net profits nearing ₹10,000 crore in FY 2022–23, OIL’s fiscal health is strong. But the company’s newest chapter, the Andaman Basin discovery, could elevate it from financial success to national legend…….”
Read full article at Indianarrative.com
