The Indian petroleum industry dates back to 1890 when oil was first struck at Digboi in northeastern India. The petroleum industry stands out as an example of the strides made by the country in its march towards economic self-reliance. At the time of Independence in 1947, the industry was controlled by international companies. Indigenous expertise was scarce, if not non-existent. Today, a little over 55 years later, the industry is largely in the public domain with skills and technical know-how comparable to the highest international standards. The testimony of its vigour and success during the past five decades is the significant increase in crude oil production from 0.25 to 33 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) and refining capacity from 0.3 to 116 MMTPA. The consumption of petroleum products has grown 35 times in the last 55 years from 3 million metric tonnes (MMT) during 1948-49 to about 110 (MMT) in 2002- 03. A vast network of over 29,000 dealerships and distributorships has been developed backed by over 400 storage points over the years to serve the people even in the remote and once-inaccessible areas.