Amid challenges in boosting domestic output and navigating volatile global energy markets, the government has appointed Sunil Kumar as ONGC chairman, succeeding Arun Kumar Singh. Following the approval from the appointment committee of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar will assume the office on Dec7.
ALSO READ : India Energy Pivot: Morgan Stanley Bullish On Refiners Amid Demand Shift — ONGC, HPCL, Among Top Picks
Kumar's appointment comes at a time when the country's largest oil and gas producer, is facing the challenge of considerable decrease in the output from the ageing fields. Besides, expanding explanation and strengthening domestic energy supplies amid volatility in global energy markets.
Three-Year Tenure
According to the government's appointment order, Kumar's tenure will run for three years from December 7, 2026, including a contractual period beyond the age of 60. He is due to retire on December 31, 2028, with the appointment terms providing for a contractual extension, subject to the prescribed tenure conditions or further government orders.
Kumar was selected following a multi-stage recruitment process that considered both ONGC executives and external candidates.
Of the 19 applicants, five advanced to the next stage after the initial round of interviews. The selection panel was headed by Public Enterprises Selection Board Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan.
ALSO READ : Major Milestone For India's Offshore Energy Exploration, ONGC Strikes Gas In Deepwaters Of Mahanadi Basin
First Executive Director To Become ONGC Chairman
Kumar's elevation is significant because he is the first ONGC executive to rise directly from the executive director rank to the company's top post. Previous chairmen have generally held board-level positions before taking charge.
He currently serves as executive director and asset manager of ONGC's Mehsana Asset in Gujarat, a responsibility he assumed in January 2025.
Similar direct elevations have taken place at other public sector energy companies, including Indian Oil Corporation and GAIL, but Kumar's appointment marks a first for ONGC.
Three Decades Of Experience
Kumar, 58, joined ONGC in 1991 as an assistant executive engineer in the Sivasagar-Nazira region of Assam. A petroleum engineering graduate of the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, he also holds a postgraduate qualification in management from the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. Over more than three decades, he has worked across production, offshore operations and well services, with assignments in Mumbai, Delhi, Hazira and Kakinada.
His experience also includes major offshore developments, including the KG-DWN-98/2 Cluster II project in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
Challenges Ahead For ONGC
Kumar takes charge as ONGC works to improve production from its mature oilfields and unlock new reserves through exploration and offshore investments. Under Singh, who became chairman in December 2022, the company reported healthy profits and paid substantial dividends to shareholders, including the government.
Singh also pursued measures to improve output from ageing fields, including bringing in BP as a technical service provider for Mumbai High and other western offshore assets. ONGC's efforts to improve returns from its petrochemicals business and expand into international oil trading and domestic gas marketing also remain important priorities.
Kumar will be tasked with reversing production declines, strengthening ONGC's operational performance and advancing India's push to curb its reliance on imported crude oil and natural gas.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.