The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is setting up a National Hydrocarbon Technology Hub to strengthen research and development in the oil and gas sector and accelerate the commercialisation of research outcomes, Joint Secretary Alok Tripathi said at the 29th Energy Technology Meet (ETM) 2026 in Goa. The initiative is intended to create a nationally anchored ecosystem for developing and applying technologies in the sector. The event brought together more than 2,500 participants and around 250 speakers. Its exhibition featured technologies spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas industry, along with green molecules such as compressed biogas. Tripathi said the meet’s theme, From Research to Commercialization, highlighted the need to convert research outcomes into commercially viable technologies. The ministry has also signed memorandums of understanding with academic institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, to improve research support. Under the initiative, the ministry will sponsor up to 100 PhD scholars working in the oil and gas sector. The support is aimed at enabling scholars to devote more time to research and development and build a stronger academic ecosystem focused on industry-related challenges over the next five years. The ministry is also focusing on improving refining efficiency while advancing sustainability. Indian oil companies are working with global technology providers on energy-efficient technologies that reduce consumption, while also developing solutions in-house. Tripathi said India wanted longer-term partnerships rather than a conventional arrangement in which foreign companies sell technology to domestic buyers. He said developing technologies within India could reduce costs, with the resulting benefits eventually reaching consumers. The meet also gave global technology providers an opportunity to understand India’s policy reforms and investment opportunities in the oil and gas sector.