Union Cabinet approves Deep Ocean Mission to study deep-sea biodiversity, explore resources

New Delhi, June 16: With an aim to explore the biodiversity and minerals of the sea, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) proposal on 'Deep Ocean Mission' to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar gave information about it during a press conference saying this will support the blue economy and take India into a new era. The project will be implemented phase-wise, and the estimated cost of the mission will be Rs 4,077 crore for 5 years. The estimated cost for the first phase of three years (2021-2024) would be Rs 2,823.4 crore.

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Deep Ocean Mission will be a mission mode project to support the Blue Economic Initiatives of India's Government. Under that project, govt will develop the submersible which will carry three people to a depth of 6000 meters in the ocean with a suite of scientific sensors and tools. Apart from it, Integrated Mining System will be also developed for mining Polymetallic Nodules from 6000 m depth in the central Indian Ocean.

Moreover, A suite of observations and models will be developed to understand and provide future projections of important climate variables on seasonal to decadal time scales under this proof of concept component. This component will support the Blue Economy priority area of coastal tourism.

The technologies required for deep-sea mining have strategic implications and are not commercially available. Hence, attempts will be made to indigenize technologies by collaborating with leading institutes and private industries. A research vessel for deep ocean exploration would be built in an Indian shipyard.

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The Mission will also provide job opportunities in Indian industries. "In addition, design, development, and fabrication of specialized equipment, ships, and setting up of required infrastructure are expected to spur the growth of the Indian industry, especially the MSME and start-ups," the government said.