India has reached a significant milestone in its energy sector by offering 50 new exploration and production (E&P) blocks across oil, gas, and coal bed methane (CBM) assets.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, hailed the move as a transformative step towards strengthening the country's energy security and unlocking its domestic hydrocarbon potential. The offered blocks include 25 under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP-X), 55 fields in the discovered small field (DSF-IV) bid round, and additional blocks under the Special CBM Bid Rounds for 2025 and 2026. Minister Puri emphasised that this initiative showcases India's openness to both global and domestic investors and reflects the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The new framework includes features such as exploration rights throughout the contract duration, revenue share schemes, and incentives for deepwater and CBM exploration. As Union Minister Puri said, "The quest to unlock the potential of India's sedimentary basins gains a new thrust and momentum."