India Plans to Set Up New SPRs at Six Sites to Boost Energy Security

In a fresh push for energy security, India is planning to set up strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) at six new locations to guard against global oil supply shocks, said people familiar with the development.

The government has tasked Engineers India Ltd (EIL), a public sector engineering consultancy, to prepare detailed feasibility reports for the proposed reserves, which are aimed at expanding the country’s crude oil backup capacity. The initiative comes at a time when geopolitical instability in West Asia, particularly the recent Israel-Iran conflict, has put global oil flows at risk.

According to Mint, one of the proposed sites is in the Mangalore Special Economic Zone in Karnataka, while another is in Bikaner, Rajasthan, where salt caverns are being explored for underground storage. The remaining four sites are located near coastlines and refineries to ensure easy access and transport, and the feasibility reports are expected to be submitted by year-end.

“The plan is to take India’s reserve capacity to 90 days. That’s the basic requirement,” one of the people said, requesting anonymity.