SYLLABUS 

GS-3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Context: Recently, two Indian aquanauts undertook deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French vessel Nautile as part of training for the Samudrayaan Project.

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• The mission was conducted as part of preparations for India’s Samudrayaan Project.

• Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh successfully dived to a depth of 5,002 metres, while R. Ramesh reached 4,025 metres below sea level.

• The experience and operational insights gained from these dives will directly contribute to India’s deep-sea exploration capabilities.

Samudrayan Project

• The project is India’s first manned deep-sea mission which aims to send three humans to depths of 6,000 meters by 2027, under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM).

• The project involves developing a crewed submersible named Matsya-6000 that can carry three aquanauts to depths of up to 6,000 metres in the Indian Ocean.

• The main goal is to explore and harness resources like polymetallic nodules rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, while also studying deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystems.

• The project is being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, with ISRO's support in advanced fabrication technology.

Objectives of the Project

• Development of technologies for manned submersible, deep-sea mining and underwater vehicles and underwater robotics,

• Development of ocean climate change advisory services,

• Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity,

• Deep ocean survey and exploration (and research ship),

• Energy and freshwater from the ocean.

Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology.

Significance of the project

• Strategic: It places India among elite nations (US, Russia, China, Japan, France) with manned deep-sea exploration.

• Economic: Access to critical minerals (nickel, cobalt, rare earths) needed for batteries, EVs, and electronics.

• Technological: Promotes indigenous R&D in underwater robotics, metallurgy, and communication.

• Blue Economy: Supports India’s 11,000 km coastline and ocean-dependent economy.

Challenges to the project

• Extreme Pressure: 600 times sea-level pressure at 6,000 m; requires precision fabrication (even 0.2 mm deviation risks collapse).

• Material Constraints: Titanium alloy scarcity and limited global sharing.

• Communication: Acoustic systems vulnerable to water salinity and temperature variations.

• Health Concerns: Restricted food/water intake; physical endurance crucial.

Matsya 600

• It is a self-propelled manned submersible capable of transporting three individuals to depths of up to 6,000 meters beneath the ocean surface.

• The submersible has 12 hours of operational period and sustains up to 96 hours in emergency scenarios.

• This Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV), is a spherical titanium-alloy vessel.

• It is being developed through a collaboration between National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry Earth Sciences and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO .

Source:
The Indian Express
PIB
India Today