India has scored a major win in deep-sea exploration. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced a new 15-year contract between the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA). This deal gives India exclusive rights to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) across a 10,000 square kilometer area in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean.
This move makes India the world’s first country to hold two ISA contracts for PMS exploration. It highlights India’s leading role in tapping deep-sea resources and boosting its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean.
Dr. Singh called the contract a big step toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Deep Ocean Mission. That initiative drives seabed mineral exploration, advances mining technology, and powers India’s Blue Economy goals. “By securing these rights in the Carlsberg Ridge, India strengthens its top spot in deep-sea research,” he said. “It will grow our maritime influence and build skills for future resource use.”
Polymetallic Sulphides pack valuable metals like iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, and platinum. These deposits form when hot fluids from the ocean floor mix with seawater, drawing intense global interest for their commercial and strategic value. India now stands out in the race for Indian Ocean minerals.
Dr. Singh pointed to India’s long history with the ISA. Back in the day, India became the first nation to snag an area for polymetallic nodule exploration in international waters and earned Pioneer Investor status. Today, with contracts for the Central Indian Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge, plus the new Carlsberg Ridge deal, India controls the largest PMS exploration zone in the global seabed.
Celebrating 30 years of partnership with the ISA, Dr. Singh said India remains committed to the group’s mission of managing the ocean floor as a shared human heritage. To top it off, India will host the 8th ISA Annual Contractors Meeting in Goa from September 18-20, underscoring its leadership in seabed exploration.
MoES Secretary Dr. M. Ravichandran shared the excitement. “This is a proud day for the ministry and our National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa,” he noted. “India is now the first ISA member and contractor with two PMS deals, and we hold the biggest allocated area worldwide for this work.”
Dr. Ravichandran added that India aims to deepen ties with the ISA. The focus? Unlocking more science on untouched seabed ecosystems, protecting the marine environment, and using these resources to benefit everyone.
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