Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Indian Gas Exchange Ltd (IGX) have entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand access to LNG regasification infrastructure and strengthen market-led participation in India’s natural gas ecosystem.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 in Goa on Friday.
The MoU was formalised by Anuj Mehrotra, Executive Director – Natural Gas, HPCL, and Rajesh Kumar Mediratta, Managing Director and CEO, IGX. Under the partnership, IGX will develop a digital, market-driven platform that will enable transparent booking of regasification services at HPCL’s Chhara LNG terminal in Gujarat.
HPCL will make available its storage and regasification capacities for booking through this platform in pre-defined quantities and timeframes.
The initiative is designed to improve utilisation of existing infrastructure, broaden participation by market players and support the development of a more liquid, competitive and efficient natural gas market in India. By enabling market-based access to regasification capacity, the collaboration aims to reinforce price discovery mechanisms and facilitate wider adoption of natural gas across sectors.
Anuj Mehrotra said the collaboration underscores HPCL’s commitment to providing transparent, efficient and market-oriented access to critical gas infrastructure. He noted that leveraging digital platforms and exchange-based mechanisms would help enhance utilisation of the Chhara LNG terminal and accelerate the role of natural gas in India’s energy transition.
Rajesh K Mediratta, MD and CEO of IGX, said that the MoU represents a significant milestone in strengthening India’s gas market architecture. He added that market-driven access to regasification capacity would improve efficiency, expand participation and support robust price discovery, thereby contributing to the growing share of natural gas in the country’s energy mix.
Excellence in project execution and management was another major theme of the awards. Shell India, representing the PMT joint venture, was recognised with the Best Managed Project award for demonstrating superior project management capabilities.
The Project of the Year award acknowledged leadership and performance across the upstream and energy value chain, with joint recognition given to Nipun Pradhan, Managing Director of BGEPIL, Padmanabh Gokhale, Vice President (E&P) at Reliance Industries Ltd, and Kuldeep Mukherjee, Executive Director at ONGC.
Together, the FIPI Awards at IEW 2026 highlighted the depth and diversity of talent across India’s energy sector, celebrating both established leaders and emerging innovators who are shaping a resilient, sustainable and future-ready energy ecosystem.
