ISPRL — India's strategic petroleum reserve expansion stalls amid funding, execution delays

India's strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) program has seen no capacity additions in nearly a decade, raising concerns about the nation's energy security amid geopolitical tensions. The country's current SPR capacity stands at 5.33 million tonnes, but plans for three new expansion phases, including a second phase approved in 2018, have been stalled by land acquisition delays and scant government funding. The government has spent less than ₹1,000 crore on the program in the five years ending FY27, with most funds allocated to maintenance rather than new construction or filling existing reserves.