Overview
- An October 21 government order appointed Sunil Kumar to assume charge of ONGC on or after December 7, 2026 and to serve until his retirement on December 31, 2028 with a possible contractual extension to a combined three-year term.
- Kumar becomes the first person at ONGC to be promoted directly from the executive director rank to chairman, breaking the company’s usual practice of choosing leaders with prior board-level service.
- The selection followed a competitive, multi-stage search that drew at least 19 applicants, was shortened to five after an initial interview round, and was recommended by a PESB-led committee before ACC approval.
- Kumar joined ONGC in 1991, has more than three decades of experience across production, offshore work and well services, and has served as Executive Director and Asset Manager of the Mehsana asset since January 8, 2025.
- He will succeed Arun Kumar Singh when Singh’s extended tenure ends on December 6, 2026, and is expected to focus on exploration, boosting output from mature fields, technology adoption and capital allocation at India’s largest oil and gas producer.