The Indian government is rapidly advancing a ₹40,000 crore deep-sea gas pipeline project directly from Oman to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies from the Gulf region. According to the Economic Times, the project is expected to take five to seven years to complete if approved, with the central government pursuing this ambitious initiative with utmost priority. The government may soon direct public sector companies Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Engineers India Limited (EIL), and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to prepare a detailed report for the project. This initiative is being pursued based on a pre-feasibility study submitted by the New Delhi-based private sector consortium, South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE).
Rising tensions in West Asia have sharpened concerns over India's energy security, with recent disruptions highlighting the vulnerability of current supply chains. Around 30-40% of India's crude oil, 45-55% of LNG, and as much as 85-90% of imported LPG transit the Strait of Hormuz, making any indirect disruption quickly feed into fuel inflation, fertilizer costs, and household LPG subsidy pressure. The recent Hormuz crisis in February 2025 is considered a major catalyst for moving this project forward, as Iran effectively blocked the route amid tensions with the US and Israel, causing global LNG supplies to fall by more than 20 percent and leading to a sharp surge in gas prices in the international market. India currently imports significant quantities of LNG and LPG from Middle Eastern countries including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, with Qatar and the UAE together accounting for more than 55% of India's total LNG deliveries.
The proposed Middle East-India Deep-Water Pipeline (MEIDP) will be approximately 2,000 kilometers long and will connect Oman directly to the Gujarat coast, passing under the Arabian Sea. The pipeline will enable the supply of approximately 31 mmscmd of natural gas per day and is expected to be laid to a depth of approximately 3,450 meters below sea level, making it one of the world's deepest undersea pipeline projects. Recent technical studies have shown the project to be feasible due to advances in deep-sea pipelaying and repair techniques. SAGE, in its government filings, claims that approximately 3,000 meters of test pipeline has already been laid along the proposed route to study seabed conditions. The pipeline route will be designed to pass through Oman and the UAE, bypassing geopolitically sensitive areas and providing India access to the vast gas reserves of countries such as Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Qatar, which together have approximately 2,500 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.
Demand for natural gas in India is steadily increasing amid efforts to meet energy needs and increase gas's share in the energy mix. Current consumption is approximately 190-195 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd), which is projected to increase to approximately 290-300 mmscmd by 2030. LNG imports could reach 180-200 mmscmd by the same period, highlighting the critical need for alternative supply routes. A senior official stated that a direct pipeline from West Asia could provide India with stable and relatively affordable gas, while reducing dependence on a transit country or sea route. The project represents India's strategic move to break away from excessive dependence on spot LNG markets and secure long-term energy supplies beyond volatile spot markets and geopolitical tensions.
