​Andaman's Secret Out: Oil India Limited Drills Deep for Fuel Freedom!

​NEW DELHI | June 5, 2026: In a monumental breakthrough for India’s energy security, state-run Maharatna firm Oil India Limited (OIL) has struck a massive natural gas reserve at the "Sri Vijayapuram-3" exploratory well, located 15 kilometers off the east coast of the Andaman Islands. Announced officially by Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday, this high-stakes discovery was successfully established at a drilling depth of over 1,900 meters within the Eocene geological formation under the national 'Samudra Manthan Mission'—a major offshore campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unlock the country's hidden deepwater resources. The milestone find, confirmed through continuous flaring in 355 meters of water depth, marks the second successful hydrocarbon strike out of three wells drilled in the basin so far, significantly reducing foreign import dependence and marching the nation toward complete self-reliance in the energy sector.