Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 2, 2025
15
mins read
The Samudrayaan Mission is India’s first human deep-sea exploration project, launched under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. As part of the larger Deep Ocean Mission (approved 2021), approved in 2021 with an outlay of ₹4,077 crore over five years, aims to explore and sustainably utilise deep ocean resources. It plans to send three crewed “aquanauts” to the ocean floor (6,000m depth) using an indigenously developed submersible. By achieving this, India will join an elite group of nations (US, Russia, China, Japan, France) with manned deep-ocean capabilities. The mission’s goals include surveying polymetallic nodules (iron-manganese ores rich in nickel, cobalt, rare earths) and mapping deep-sea biology. It also aims to advance deep-sea technology (submersibles, ROVs, robotics) and bolster the Blue Economy by harnessing ocean resources for economic growth.
To know more about Deep Water Exploration click here : National Deep Water Exploration Mission, Objectives & Significance - PadhAI
Record Training Dives: In August 2025, two Indian “aquanauts” (J.P. Singh and R. Ramesh) dived to 5,002m in the Atlantic aboard France’s submersible Nautile.
Matsya-6000 Unveiled: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju visited NIOT Chennai and shared images of the Matsya-6000 crew capsule. This showed India’s progress on its first deep-sea manned submersible. Matsya-6000 is being built to carry three humans to 6 km depth.
Mission Timeline: The government targets initial tests by 2026 and the full 6,000m crewed dive by 2027–28. Early plans include a 500m test dive by 2026, followed by deep-water trials leading to the final mission by 2027–28.
Image credit: DD India
Table of content
The Samudrayaan mission encompasses multiple objectives in line with sustainable ocean use:
Resource Exploration: Conduct seabed surveys for polymetallic nodules and hydrothermal minerals (rich in manganese, nickel, cobalt, REEs)These minerals are vital for electronics, batteries, and high-tech industries
Technology Development: Develop deep-sea mining tools, underwater vehicles and robotics. This includes building the manned submersible Matsya-6000 and autonomous systems for exploration.
Climate & Ocean Services: Establish an “Ocean Climate Change Advisory Service” by collecting data on deep-ocean parameters. Models from this data will improve climate projections and help coastal planning.
Biodiversity Conservation: Study deep-sea ecosystems and species. The mission’s surveys will identify vulnerable habitats, aiding marine conservation and understanding unique adaptations of deep-sea life.
Blue Economy Growth: Align with India’s Blue Economy strategy by creating high-tech jobs and industries (marine biotech, deep-sea mining, renewable energy). Sustainable resource use supports livelihoods in coastal states.
Strategic Edge: By 2027, India will become one of the few countries capable of crewed deep-sea missions, enhancing its standing in global ocean governance and resource diplomacy.
Nodal Agency: The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) leads the mission. Its special agency, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT, Chennai), coordinates the Samudrayaan project.
Inter-agency Teams: NIOT works with ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and other labs on material and systems development. The research vessel Sagar Nidhi (NIC) will deploy and retrieve the submersible.
International Partnership: India collaborated with France to train its aquanauts using the French sub Nautile. Global partnerships like this are crucial since few countries share deep-sea tech. India’s indigenous efforts are matched by careful liaison with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for eventual resource use.
Design: Matsya-6000 is a 4th-generation crewed submersible shaped like a fish. It encloses a titanium-alloy spherical cabin (2.1m diameter) to house three aquanauts. The cabin and hull are engineered to withstand ~600 bar pressure at 6,000m.
Endurance: The vessel is designed for 12-hour missions under normal conditions, with life-support backup for up to 96 hours in emergencies. This includes breathable oxygen, carbon-dioxide scrubbers and emergency re-breathers.
Structural Strength: The crew sphere is ~80mm thick titanium (the steel prototype sphere is only for shallow tests). ISRO’s precision electron-beam welding is used to join these thick sections, with tolerances of ±0.2mm. This ensures safety under extreme pressure.
Life-support & Comms: Internal systems regulate temperature, oxygen (20%) and scrub CO₂. Aquanauts wear bio-vests to monitor vitals. Communications rely on acoustic phones (sound-based), since radio cannot penetrate deep water. India has developed its own acoustic communication system, tested in harbors and now in open-sea trials.
Deployment: Initially, a simplified steel sphere will be used for a 500m test dive. The full mission will integrate the titanium sphere. The assembled submersible will be launched from the research vessel Sagar Nidhi.
Samudrayaan will expand scientific knowledge of the deep ocean:
Mineral Surveys: Mapping and sampling of mineral deposits. An NIOT-built AUV (OMe 6000) has already surveyed polymetallic nodule fields (~5,271m deep in the Central Indian Ocean Basin). Samudrayaan will complement this by human-led exploration and sample collection.
Biological Exploration: Documenting new species and ecosystems in the abyss. Studying organisms adapted to high pressure and darkness can yield insights into biology and biotechnology. This has parallels with space exploration—like astronaut training for Gaganyaan—in pushing the frontiers of human endurance and biology.
Climate Science: Deep-sea data from Samudrayaan will feed into ocean circulation and climate models. Understanding the deep-ocean’s role in heat and carbon storage is key to climate resilience.
Environmental Baseline: The mission will identify ecologically sensitive zones. This baseline data will guide regulations to protect deep-sea habitats as resource extraction begins.
Blue Economy Boost: Tapping deep-ocean resources can supply materials critical for electronics, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. For example, polymetallic nodules hold cobalt, nickel and manganese used in batteries and high-tech industries. This reduces import dependency.
New Industries & Jobs: Developing submersibles and mining equipment spurs domestic industries (MSMEs, shipyards, tech firms). It creates specialized jobs in engineering, R&D and marine services. The technology may spin off into sectors like sensors, healthcare (imaging tech), and material science.
Energy & Water: Research on ocean-derived energy (like Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) and desalination can enhance coastal energy security and freshwater supply.
Global Standing: Success in Samudrayaan will cement India’s image as an ocean nation. It aligns with Viksit Bharat goals of self-reliance and leadership in unexplored domains. Strategically, India will gain influence in setting international deep-sea mining norms under the ISA.
Pressure Engineering: Building a vessel to withstand ~600 atm pressure is unprecedented in India. Securing high-grade titanium and welding it flawlessly is difficult. Even a tiny flaw (~0.2mm) in the sphere could be catastrophic.
Life Support: Ensuring a safe internal environment (stable air mixture, temperature, waste management in a confined 2.1m cabin) poses design and physiological challenges. Crew health monitoring (bio-vests) and exercise, nutrition planning are critical.
Communication: Deep-sea acoustic links face delays and distortion from water conditions. Developing reliable long-distance sound-based communication is still experimental.
Navigation and Operations: Autonomous and robotic systems must operate in total darkness, requiring advanced imaging, sensors and AI control.
Environmental Safety: Mining the deep sea risks disturbing unknown ecosystems. Designing operations to minimize habitat damage and pollution is an ongoing concern, requiring new regulations and monitoring.
Samudrayaan is framed as a sustainable mission. Officials emphasize that the project “will not disturb the marine ecosystem”. All exploration will follow international guidelines (ISA and UNCLOS), ensuring minimal footprint. Research from the mission will guide “nature-positive” mining policies, with Marine Protected Areas for sensitive zones. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is concurrently studying how deep-sea mining affects climate and biodiversity, aligning with global best practices. This cautious approach reflects India’s commitment to both the Blue Economy and ocean conservation.
Q.What is India’s Samudrayaan Mission and its main objectives?
A.Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep-sea mission (part of the Deep Ocean Mission). It aims to send three people to 6,000m using the indigenously built submersible Matsya-6000. Objectives include deep-sea mining, exploration of polymetallic nodules, climate data collection and deep-ocean biodiversity studies.
Q.What is the Matsya-6000 submersible?
A.Matsya-6000 is a crewed deep-submergence vehicle developed by NIOT. Shaped like a big fish, it contains a 2.1m titanium spherical cabin for three aquanauts. It can operate 12h (96h in emergency) and withstand 600-bar pressure at 6 km depth.
Q.How is Samudrayaan related to India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)?
A.The Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) is a ₹4,077 crore program (2021–26) to develop ocean technologies. Samudrayaan is the manned exploration component of DOM. DOM’s other parts include seabed mining, climate services, deep-ocean biodiversity studies, and energy from the ocean. Samudrayaan specifically advances the crewed submersible and deep-sea survey goals of DOM.
Q.Why is Samudrayaan important for India’s Blue Economy and future?
A.With 7,517 km of coastline, India’s economy can benefit from its seas. Samudrayaan helps unlock deep-sea resources (minerals, energy) crucial for tech industries. It also catalyzes innovation in ocean technology and maritime industries, supporting sustainable growth and India’s strategic interests
Q. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements:
A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[A] 1 and 2 only
[B] 2 and 3 only
[C] 1 and 3 only
[D] 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Q. Consider the following statements:
The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.
‘Rare earth minerals’ are present on the seafloor in international waters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[A] 1 and 2 only
[B] 2 and 3 only
[C] 1 and 3 only
[D] 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
The Samudrayaan Mission is a landmark in India’s quest to explore the final frontier of our planet. Its success will depend on sophisticated engineering and sustained support, but the potential rewards are high.
By tapping untold mineral wealth and understanding deep-ocean ecosystems, Samudrayaan underpins sustainable growth and strategic autonomy. Along with related initiatives like the Samudra Manthan deep-water exploration for oil and gas, it showcases India’s vision of leveraging ocean resources responsibly.
The mission will inform future policies on deep-sea mining and energy, while also bolstering India’s role in global ocean governance. In essence, Samudrayaan can fuel technological innovation and economic expansion (from healthcare to renewables) while safeguarding ocean health. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat, exploring the deep sea promises to be as transformative as its strides into space.
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