India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) plans to develop a 1.75 Mt (approximately 13 mbl) strategic petroleum reserve in Mangalore, southern India, according to a stock exchange filing (India’s National Stock Exchange statement, 09/07/2026).
According to the filing, ONGC will seek approval from the federal government to allow the commercial use of the planned storage facility in the "national interest".
The Indian government already permits the commercial use of part of its strategic petroleum reserves across three sites in southern India (Mangalore, Padur and Vizag) which have a combined crude oil storage capacity of up to 5.33 Mt. These strategic storage facilities are operated by the government-owned Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
In addition, India intends to construct around 4 Mt of strategic storage capacity at Chandikhol, in the eastern state of Odisha, as well as a new 2.5 Mt facility at Padur in southern India (Reuters, 10/07/2026).
India is the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer.