India, Assam and Nagaland sign tripartite MoU to lift constraints on Assam-Nagaland hydrocarbon belt

India’s central government and the states of Assam and Nagaland have signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding to remove long-standing administrative and operational restrictions and advance development of the Assam-Nagaland oil and gas belt. The area is estimated to hold about 500 million tonnes of petroleum and natural gas resources, but current output is only around 1,000–1,500 barrels a day. Under the agreement, production could increase more than tenfold over time, potentially within a decade. Assam currently accounts for 14% of India’s crude oil output and 10% of its natural gas production, and additional supply would strengthen domestic energy self-reliance.