CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa, and Keshava Deva Malaviya Institute of Petroleum Exploration (KDMIPE-ONGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 5 January 2022 to develop a long term joint working partnership in areas relating to the structure and evolution of the continental margins of India and the adjacent deep ocean basins, leading to the development of a revised plate tectonic reconstruction model. Additionally, these organisations will also carry out joint studies in the field of unconventional hydrocarbon resources viz. gas hydrate exploration and exploitation along with field validation.

The MoU was signed virtually by Prof. Sunil Kumar Singh, Director, CSIR-NIO and Shri S.N. Chitnis, Head of Institute, KDMIPE, in the presence of Dr Sanil Kumar V.V., Dr V.J. Loveson, Shri Venkat Krishnamurthy and Dr Yatheesh Vadakkeyakath of CSIR-NIO, and Shri S.K. Biswal, Shri P.V.S. J. Sharma, Dr S.S. Rathore, Shri J.P. Dobriyal, Dr Anil Kaul and Shri Sushil Kumar of KDMIPE-ONGC.