ONGC begins Mahanadi drilling to cut India's oil import dependence

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has begun drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin, about 23 nautical miles off Odisha's Konark coast. The project marks a key milestone under the government's deepwater exploration mission. It aims to boost domestic oil and gas production, reduce import dependence, and strengthen India's energy security.