Cabinet allows ONGC to buy out govt stake in refiner HPCL

The Indian government owns 51.1% stake in HPCL.

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a plan to sell the government’s stake in state refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) to explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), a source said, in a bid to create oil giants to compete with global rivals.

A technician is pictured inside a desalter plant of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. (Reuters)

The Indian government owns 51.1% stake in HPCL.

“ONGC has forwarded a proposal to acquire HPCL. Process for in-principle approval for this proposal has been initiated,” oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan told lawmakers earlier on Wednesday.