Gas
hydrates have been an intense area of research during the past
two decadesowing to their characteristic advantages and utilization
potential in several applications. Methane hydrates carve a niche
among gas hydrates owing to their immense energy potentialthey
are available as an energy resource as well as catering to a plethora
of applications including energy (gas) storage, gas separation/enrichment,
etc. This Review attempts to put forth the status of gas hydrate research
in Indiait includes a summary of exploration and research
efforts by several agencies and academic groups in India. The National
Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP), initiated in 1997, has conducted two successful
expeditions, NGHP-01 and NGHP-02, in 2006 and 2015, respectively.
Salient findings and analysis results from these expeditions along
with fostered international collaboration are presented as well. Research
efforts put forth by various academic groups in India are reviewed
and discussed based on hydrate applications. Future directions for
gas hydrate research in India are also outlined in this Review.