By 2026, India intends to launch its first manned deep-ocean mission, "Samudrayaan," to explore marine resources "Matsya”

Regarding the Samudrayaan Mission

The Samudrayaan Mission is a component of the crewed Deep Ocean Mission.

It would feature MATSYA 6000, an indigenously designed fourth-generation crewed submersible capable of transporting three individuals to a depth of 6,000 meters. It is being created by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (Chennai).

MATSYA 6000 offers an operational endurance of 12 hours and an emergency endurance of 96 hours. India's research ship Sagar Nidhi will be utilized to launch and retrieve the MATSYA 6000.

Importance of the Mission

Scientific Research: Facilitates the gathering of deep-sea specimens, essential for comprehending marine biodiversity, geology, and chemistry.

Resource Exploration: Opportunity for evaluation of living (marine biodiversity) and non-living resources (minerals, polymetallic nodules).

Technology Showcase: Highlights local expertise in high-pressure deep-sea engineering.

Tourism Potential: Could establish groundwork for future deep-sea tourism.

Strategic Capability: Strengthens India's role in international ocean research and resource diplomacy.

League of Nations: Through this initiative, India will become part of an elite ensemble of countries (the US, Russia, France, Japan, and China) that possess the technology and skills for human deep-sea exploration.

Concerning the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)

The Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) was initiated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2021, with the goal of exploring and utilizing deep-sea resources sustainably and with advanced technology.

With an allocation of ₹4,077 crore over five years, DOM promotes India’s Blue Economy and is in accordance with SDG-14 (Life Below Water).

The mission is led by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and consists of six elements:

• Development of Manned Submersibles (Samudrayaan).
• Investigation of Deep-Sea Biodiversity
• Extracting Polymetallic Nodules
• Maritime Climate Advisory Services
• Ocean Biology Marine Station to advance research efforts
• Sophisticated Ocean Monitoring Systems utilizing submerged sensors and artificial intelligence.