India Opens 1 Million Square Kilometres of 'No-Go' Areas for Oil Exploration

India has cleared 1 million square kilometres of its 3.5 million square kilometres of sedimentary basin for oil exploration, previously classified as "no-go" areas, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. To attract global investors, Puri emphasised flexible policies, offering compensation for seismic survey assistance. With India's energy demand rising, expected to drive 25% of the global increase over the next two decades, the country is projected to consume over 6 million barrels of crude oil daily.