Bengaluru: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said the Russian oil major Rosneft plans to tap the retail fuel market in India in a big way.

“The Russian oil major who took over Essar Oil recently is planning in a big way to make inroads into India’s retail fuel market,’’ Pradhan told reporters after attending the City Gas Distribution (CGD) project to supply Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to households in Bengaluru.

Replying a query on the size of investment to be made by Rosneft and Essar to tap fuel retail market, he said both the companies have invested USD 13 billion in Indian market in the last financial year.

“It was one of the biggest deal in oil industry in the world,’’ he said.

During the second quarter of this financial year, BP and Reliance Industries have announced USD 6 billion investment in India. “It indicates the progressive and reformative nature of Narendra Modi government,’’ he said.