India has set its sights on exploring the cobalt-rich Afanasy Nikitin Seamount (AN Seamount), located in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier this month, the country submitted an application to the International Seabed Authority (ISBA) in Jamaica, seeking rights to explore two expansive tracts in the Indian Ocean seabed, which lie beyond its jurisdiction.
The AN Seamount, a prominent structural feature stretching over 400 kilometres in length and 150 kilometres in width, is nestled within the Central Indian Basin, approximately 3,000 kilometres away from India's coastline.
Rising from a profound oceanic depth of about 4,800 meters to approximately 1,200 meters, this seamount has long been identified as a repository for valuable resources including cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper, as affirmed by surveys conducted over two decades.
India's bid to explore the AN Seamount comes in the wake of reports indicating Chinese vessels engaged in reconnaissance activities within the same region.
A senior official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed India's strategic manoeuvring, shedding light on the escalating geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean.
However, India's pursuit of exploration rights faces a significant hurdle.
Sri Lanka has already asserted rights over the AN Seamount under a separate legal framework.
The ISBA, an autonomous international body established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), holds the authority to grant exploration licenses for deep-sea mineral resources.
For any nation to commence extraction activities, securing an exploration license from the ISBA is a prerequisite.
Notably, the AN Seamount lies within the open ocean, where no single nation holds sovereignty.
With approximately 60% of the world's seas falling under this category, the exploration of deep-sea mineral wealth poses formidable challenges due to the prohibitive costs and technical complexities involved.
Complicating matters further, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, another UNCLOS-affiliated entity tasked with delineating national maritime boundaries, could potentially impede India's exploration aspirations.
While countries enjoy exclusive rights up to 200 nautical miles from their coastlines, extending these rights beyond 200 nautical miles requires meticulous scientific justification.
In this context, Sri Lanka's ambitious claim extending up to 500 nautical miles along the Bay of Bengal serves as a pertinent example.
India's decision to stake its claim for exploration rights stems from a strategic imperative to counter perceived threats and assert its maritime interests.
The ISBA, in response to India's application, has sought clarification on various aspects, indicating a rigorous evaluation process.
A high-level delegation from India, led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has presented compelling scientific evidence in support of India's exploration claims during deliberations held at the ISBA headquarters in Jamaica.
In addition to the AN Seamount, India has also expressed interest in exploring the Carlsberg Ridge, which spans an expansive area of 300,000 square kilometres in the Central Indian Ocean.
This region is renowned for its polymetallic sulphides, which harbour significant reserves of copper, zinc, gold, and silver, making it an attractive prospect for exploration and potential exploitation.
Despite India's pursuit of exploration rights, the country is yet to secure recognition for its continental shelf, which extends up to 350 nautical miles from its borders.
Nevertheless, India remains undeterred, having previously obtained exploration rights for two large basins in the Central Indian Ocean and conducted extensive surveys in these areas.
Meanwhile, the government's ambitious venture, the Deep Ocean Mission, unveiled in September 2021, is set to revolutionise deep-sea exploration with the development of a groundbreaking manned scientific submersible known as Samudrayaan.
Under the Samudrayaan mission, slated to commence exploration at depths of 6,000 meters, a sophisticated vehicle named 'MATSYA 6000' will transport three personnel on an expedition to uncover valuable deep-sea resources such as minerals.
Crafted by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai, under the auspices of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the 'MATSYA 6000' boasts an impressive endurance capability, capable of sustaining operations for up to 12 hours under normal conditions and an astounding 96 hours in emergencies to ensure human safety.
While the vehicle's design has been finalised, the realisation of its various components is currently underway.
The manned submersible aspect of the mission will afford direct human observation of the deep ocean, facilitating the exploration of mineral-rich domains abundant in nickel, cobalt, rare earths, manganese, and more, with the added ability to collect samples for further analysis.
In parallel with the development of Samudrayaan, the Deep Ocean Mission has already seen the deployment of the Ocean Mineral Explorer (OMe 6000), an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) specially designed for deep-sea exploration.
In December 2022, utilising the research vessel Sagar Nidhi, the OMe 6000 AUV embarked on a groundbreaking expedition to the Polymetallic Manganese Nodule (PMN) site, situated at a depth of 5,271 meters within the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB), as allocated by the International Seabed Authority.
Covering approximately 14 square kilometres, the survey conducted at the PMN site utilised advanced scientific instruments to generate high-resolution seabed features, shedding light on the potential of the exploration site.
Additionally, an area spanning 1 kilometre by 0.5 kilometre was meticulously mapped using high-resolution cameras to assess the abundance, distribution, and biodiversity of polymetallic manganese nodules.
Beyond its scientific objectives, the Deep Ocean Mission holds promise for technological advancements in underwater engineering, with potential applications in asset inspection, tourism, and the promotion of ocean literacy.
Anticipated to reach fruition by 2026, the Deep Ocean Mission represents a landmark endeavour poised to unlock the mysteries of the deep sea while fostering innovation and knowledge dissemination in the realm of ocean exploration.
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