CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Thursday to strengthen cooperation in geoscientific exploration and subsurface resource assessment.The MoU was signed by Dr. Srikant Nagulapalli, Director General, DGH, and Dr. Prakash Kumar, Director, CSIR-NGRI, in the presence of Dr. Sobhan Pathak, ADG, DGH; Mr. Devidutt Sangwar, Geologist, DGH; and scientists and officials of CSIR-NGRI.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Srikant Nagulapalli highlighted India's growing energy requirements and the need to strengthen domestic exploration through modern technologies, scientific expertise and institutional collaboration. He emphasised the importance of such partnerships in advancing exploration and contributing to the country's energy security.

Dr. Prakash Kumar emphasised the significance of the MoU in bringing together the scientific expertise of CSIR-NGRI and the exploration mandate of DGH. He highlighted the role of advanced geophysical technologies and integrated subsurface studies in strengthening exploration and resource assessment. The MoU will facilitate technical and scientific cooperation, knowledge exchange and collaborative exploration-oriented studies, supporting India's efforts towards energy security and resource development and contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat.