Deep Ocean Mission: India’s Gateway to the Ocean Floor

Syllabus: GS3/Science & Technology

Context

• Recently, two Indian aquanauts successfully conducted deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean, part of Samudrayaan Project, under the Deep Ocean Mission.
  • Over 100 kg of cobalt-rich polymetallic nodules were collected from 1,173 meters depth in the Andaman Sea.

About the Deep Ocean Mission

• It was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) with an investment of ₹4,077 crore over five years on September 7, 2021.
• It aims to develop technologies for exploring and sustainably utilizing deep ocean resources, and to support India’s Blue Economy and scientific leadership.
  • Blue Economy is a core growth dimension, with potential to push India’s maritime economy beyond ₹100 billion.
• It is being implemented in phases and aligns with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).

Key Components of the Mission

• Samudrayaan Project (Deep-Sea Mining & Manned Submersible): Development of a manned submersible to carry three people up to 6,000 metres depth.
  • Creation of an Integrated Mining System for extracting polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean.
• Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services: Building observations and model suites to forecast climate variables from seasonal to decadal scales.
  • Supports better planning for coastal communities and tourism.
• Biodiversity Exploration & Conservation: Bio-prospecting of deep-sea flora, fauna, and microbes.
  • Promotes sustainable use of marine biological resources for fisheries and allied sectors.
• Deep Ocean Survey & Exploration: Identification of multi-metal hydrothermal sulphide sites along the mid-ocean ridges.
  • Expands India’s access to deep-sea mineral reserves.
• Energy and Freshwater from the Ocean: Proof-of-concept for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) powered desalination plants.
  • Advances offshore renewable energy and water security.
• Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology: Establishment of a research hub for ocean biology and engineering.
  • Facilitates innovation, incubation, and industrial applications of marine science.

Strategic Importance

• India’s unique maritime geography — with 11,098.81 km of coastline, nine coastal states, and 1,382 islands — makes it a natural leader in ocean science. The mission supports:
  • Fisheries and aquaculture;
  • Marine biotechnology;
  • Coastal tourism;
  • Energy security
• Prime Minister, in his recent Independence Day address, emphasized India’s push toward a ‘Samudra Manthan’ — a mission-mode effort to explore oil and gas reserves beneath the ocean floor.
• The Deep Ocean Mission is now being expanded into a National Deep Water Exploration Mission.

Source: DD News