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Petronet LNG Board Gets Top Govt Nominees: Oil Secretary Mittal Appointed Chairman

Petronet LNG appoints Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal, IAS as Chairman and GSPC MD Avantika Singh Aulakh, IAS as Nominee Director. Board reconstitution effective Jan 16, 2026.
Petronet LNG Board Gets Top Govt Nominees: Oil Secretary Mittal Appointed Chairman

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 16, 2026: The board of India's largest LNG importer, Petronet LNG Ltd, has been reconstituted with the appointment of two senior government nominees, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as its new chairman.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, the company informed the stock exchanges that its board, through a circular resolution, approved the appointment of Shri Neeraj Mittal, IAS as Additional Director (Chairman), and Ms. Avantika Singh Aulakh, IAS as Additional Director (Nominee Director of Gujarat government), effective January 16, 2026.

Key Appointments:

1. Shri Neeraj Mittal, IAS – New Chairman

  • Current Role: Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

  • Profile: A 1992-batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer with a B.Tech from IIT Kanpur, an MBA from Cranfield University (UK), and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University (USA).

  • Experience: Previously served as Secretary, Department of Telecom, and Joint Secretary in the MoPNG, where he was instrumental in rolling out the LPG cash transfer program and the ‘Give It Up’ campaign. Also has experience at the World Bank and as CEO of Tamil Nadu's industrial promotion bureau.

2. Ms. Avantika Singh Aulakh, IAS – Nominee Director (GMB/GoG)

  • Current Role: Managing Director, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (GSPC).

  • Profile: A 2003-batch IAS officer with a BE from NSIT Delhi and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University.

  • Experience: Has held key posts including District Collector of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Bharuch; CEO of Gujarat Maritime Board and Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board. Currently holds multiple MD positions in Gujarat's energy PSUs, including Gujarat Gas Ltd and GSPC LNG Ltd.

 

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Strategic Significance:

Petronet LNG, a joint venture promoted by GAIL, ONGC, IOCL, and BPCL with the Gujarat government, operates major LNG terminals at Dahej and Kochi. The appointment of the serving Petroleum Secretary as Chairman underscores the strategic importance of LNG and gas infrastructure in India's energy security. The induction of the Gujarat government’s nominee, who also heads GSPC, is expected to strengthen coordination for the state's expanding gas-based economy.

The company confirmed that both appointees are not debarred from holding directorship and hold no shares in Petronet LNG.

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