Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) has been accorded ‘Navratna’ status, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh informed on Monday (December 1, 2025). It becomes the 27th Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) to be accorded the status.

Reflecting on the recognition to the CPSE, Mr. Puri stated, “This recognises NRL’s strong performance and its ambitious growth path, from the ongoing NREP refinery expansion to the recently inaugurated ABEPL bamboo based 2G bioethanol plant that is driving energy security and green growth from Assam and the Northeast.”

The 3 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity petroleum refinery is situated at Numaligarh in Golaghat district of Assam. State-owned explorer Oil India is the promoter of NRL holding 69.63% stake in the refinery, along with the state government of Assam (26%) and Engineers India (4.37%).

It had an annual turnover of ₹25,147 crores, housing net profits of ₹1,608 crores for FY 2024-25.

Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) has signed an agreement with state-owned BSNL to deploy India’s first 5G captive non-public network (CNPN) in its area.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said it was a proud moment for Assam.

“@BSNLCorporate & @NRL_MoPNG have signed an MoU to set up India’s 1st 5G Captive Non-Public Network in the refinery sector. A big leap for #DigitalAssam & #AtmanirbharBharat- ushering IoT, AR/VR, Big Data into our industrial future,” he said in a post on X.

BSNL’s Chairman cum Managing Director Robert J Ravi said the partnership exemplifies the telco’s commitment to empowering India’s strategic sectors with next-generation digital infrastructure.

“The deployment of a dedicated 5G CNPN at NRL will mark a technological leap forward — not only in connectivity but in redefining how core industries can operate in the future. As a trusted public telecom provider, BSNL is proud to pioneer this journey toward a self-reliant, digitally intelligent Bharat,” he said.

An official of the NRL said the integration of 5G CNPN will not only enhance operational efficiency and cybersecurity but also enable transformative technologies such as AR and VR-based training, digital twins, and real-time IoT applications.

The agreement, signed at a workshop organised by the Union Finance Ministry in Guwahati on Saturday, is expected to set the stage for replicable models across other industrial sectors, a statement said.