Context:

To better understand the oceans, the Government launched a deep ocean mission with a budget outlay of more than Rs 4,000 crores, over fi ve years. This mission will cover deep ocean survey exploration and projects for the conservation of deep sea biodiversity.

Deep Ocean Mission

• The Deep Ocean Mission is proposed as multi-ministerial multi-disciplinary programme.
• It will lay emphasis on development of deep sea technology, exploration of deep sea mineral resources and biodiversity, acquisition of a research vessel for exploration, deep sea observations, and capacity building.
• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal agency for implementing the programme.
• Funding: The Deep Ocean Mission is proposed to be a Central Sector Scheme and no separate allocation for States is envisaged.

Objectives of the mission

• The major objectives proposed under Deep Ocean Mission are as follows:
• Development of technologies for deep sea mining, underwater vehicles and underwater robotics.
• Development of ocean climate change advisory services.
• Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deepsea biodiversity.
• Deep ocean survey and exploration.
• Proof of concept studies on energy and freshwater from the ocean.
• Establishing advanced marine station for ocean biology.
• Other countries
• Only a handful of countries have such a mission to explore the Deep Ocean, including the US, China, Russia, Japan and France.
• The launch of such a mission by India will place the country in the elite group.

Technology

• Under Deep Ocean Mission, it is proposed to develop, test and demonstrate the mining technology for harvesting of polymetallic nodules from the Test Mine Site (TMS) in the allocated area of 75000 sq. km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).
• A manned submersible for 6000 m depth is also proposed to be developed as an ocean exploratory tool.
• India, surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, has a vast coastline and the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is equivalent to about 67% of the land area of the country.