Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, has submitted a written report in the Rajya Sabha highlighting the recently issued National Policy on Geothermal Energy (notified on 15th September 2025).
The policy aims to accelerate India’s geothermal energy development by promoting bilateral and multilateral technology partnerships, fostering knowledge transfer, and encouraging joint R&D initiatives. These measures are designed to leverage global expertise and adapt proven geothermal technologies to suit Indian conditions.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has cooperation mechanisms with Australia, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America in the geothermal energy sector.
Based on the Geothermal Atlas (2022) issued by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), India’s estimated theoretical geothermal resource potential is approximately 10,600 MW.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has mapped and documented 381 hot springs across India. Based on the studies, 42 geothermal manifestations have been identified as promising areas for harnessing geothermal power and direct heat applications. These 42 sites have been mentioned in the ‘National Policy on Geothermal Energy’ notified by MNRE as potential sites for further exploration and development.
The National Policy on Geothermal Energy explicitly recognizes the potential for repurposing abandoned oil & gas wells for geothermal energy recovery. The policy provides for technical guidance, pilot demonstrations, and regulatory facilitation to enable conversion of suitable wells to geothermal production in oilfields. As a part of a pilot initiative, an R&D project has been sanctioned to IIT Madras for exploration of geothermal energy in abandoned oil wells.
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