September 2, 2025. India plans to more than double its compressed natural gas (CNG) network in the next five years, expanding from around 8,150 stations today to 18,000 by 2030. The push is part of the government’s “One Nation, One Gas Grid” initiative to link most of the country to a single natural gas pipeline system.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the network had grown from just 738 stations in 2014, supplying cleaner fuel for buses, rickshaws and cars. “This is the blueprint of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Bharat,” he said.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is also pressing states to align policies and cut taxes on natural gas to encourage adoption. The regulator has set a national goal of 126.3 million piped natural gas connections and more than 18,000 CNG stations by 2034.
India’s gas infrastructure has grown rapidly, with city gas distribution areas rising from 55 in 2014 to 307 today, covering 99% of the population. Pipelines stretch more than 25,000 kilometres and are set to reach 33,475 km by 2030. Alongside fossil gas, authorities are backing compressed biogas, with over 110 plants in operation and blending targets set to rise from 1% this year to 5% by 2028.
The expansion highlights India’s attempt to cut carbon emissions while meeting the energy needs of a growing economy still heavily dependent on coal.
