The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has categorically denied media reports suggesting that the government is pursuing a proposed deep-sea energy pipeline connecting India with Gulf nations, stating that no such project is currently under consideration. The ministry said the clarification was being issued to "put all speculation in this regard to rest".
In an official clarification issued on Tuesday, the Ministry said it “has noticed a series of media reports suggesting that the Government of India is actively pursuing a deep-sea energy pipeline, sometimes referred to as the Middle East-India Deepwater Pipeline (MEIDP), connecting Gujarat to Oman and other Gulf countries.”
Rejecting the reports, the Ministry categorically clarified “that no such proposal is currently under consideration". "There are no active discussions or negotiations with Oman or any other Gulf countries on this project at any level in this Ministry. This clarification is issued to put all speculation in this regard to rest,” the Ministry concluded.
India remains one of the world’s largest importers of crude oil and natural gas, with the Gulf region continuing to be a key source of energy supplies. While India has consistently explored avenues to strengthen energy cooperation with Gulf nations, the Ministry’s clarification is expected to bring certainty to stakeholders and industry observers following widespread media speculation about the feasibility and status of the reported project.
Pertinently, the statement comes amid renewed media attention on a decades-old proposal for a nearly 2,000-km subsea natural gas pipeline between Oman and Gujarat, which some reports described as a potential solution to energy security concerns arising from geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The proposed pipeline, estimated to cost around ₹40,000 crore, has been examined periodically over the past three decades but never moved beyond the planning stage because of high costs, technological challenges and concerns over commercial viability.The project has been promoted by South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), which has said it conducted technical and financial assessments and seabed surveys for the proposed route.
According to project proposals cited in media reports, the pipeline would transport natural gas directly from Oman to India's western coast through one of the deepest subsea routes ever attempted, with sections lying more than 3,000 metres below sea level. Interest in the proposal resurfaced following concerns over the vulnerability of global energy supply chains amid recurring tensions in West Asia and volatility in international energy markets.
However, the ministry's clarification indicates that the project is not currently part of the government's policy considerations and that no formal engagement on the matter is underway with Gulf nations.
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