The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has intensified global collaboration to advance geothermal energy development in India under the recently notified National Policy on Geothermal Energy (15 September 2025). The policy aims to leverage international expertise through bilateral and multilateral technology partnerships, joint research and development programmes, and structured knowledge exchange mechanisms.
According to MNRE, India has established cooperation frameworks with Australia, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, and the United States to support technology transfer and capacity-building in the geothermal sector.
The Geological Survey of India’s Geothermal Atlas 2022 estimates the country’s theoretical geothermal potential at nearly 10,600 MW. The GSI has identified 381 hot springs nationwide, from which 42 high-priority sites have been shortlisted for further investigation and development under the National Policy.
In a significant highlight, the policy includes provisions for repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells into geothermal production assets. To advance this initiative, the government has sanctioned a pilot R&D project at IIT Madras to assess geothermal feasibility in decommissioned oil wells.
The update was presented by Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy, Shripad Yesso Naik, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
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