Why in the News?
- Two Indian aquanauts, Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh and R. Ramesh undertook deep dives in the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French vessel Nautile, reaching depths of 5,002 metres and 4,025 metres.
- These dives are preparatory exercises for India’s Samudrayaan Project, under which the country aims to send three humans to a depth of 6,000 metres by 2027.
- The project will make India one of the few nations with deep-sea exploration capability, alongside the US, Russia, China, Japan, and France.
Key Highlights
- About Samudrayaan Project
- Part of the Deep Ocean Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 with an outlay of ₹4,077 crores over five years.
- Coordinated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
- Aims to explore, conserve, and harness deep-sea resources for India’s Blue Economy policy.
- Objectives of the Mission
- Development of deep-sea mining technologies, underwater vehicles, robotics, and a crewed submersible.
- Creation of an Ocean Climate Change Advisory Service for better climate forecasting.
- Exploration of polymetallic nodules containing nickel, cobalt, rare earths, iron, and manganese.
- Advancements in deriving energy and freshwater from the ocean.
- Establishment of an Advanced Marine Station for ocean biology and engineering research.
- Matsya-6000 Submersible
- A human-rated vehicle designed like a large fish with a 1-metre titanium alloy personnel sphere.
- Capacity: Three aquanauts, with endurance of 12 hours (normal) and 96 hours (emergency).
- Initial tests used a steel sphere at 500 metres off Chennai; titanium alloy sphere is needed for full 6,000-metre dives due to extreme pressure.
- Recent Preparatory Dives
- Singh and Ramesh’s dives in Nautile simulate real conditions.
- Learnings will guide operational readiness, just as astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission supports Gaganyaan.
- Technological and Institutional Collaboration
- ISRO to carry out precision electron beam welding of the titanium sphere.
- India has indigenously developed acoustic telephone systems for underwater communication.
- Integration of life-support systems (oxygen scrubbers, rebreathers) to sustain human presence in extreme underwater environments.
Implications
- Strategic & Geopolitical
- India joins the elite club of nations with deep-sea human exploration capability.
- Enhances India’s standing in maritime security and control over undersea resources, including communication cables.
- Economic
- Unlocks access to polymetallic nodules critical for electronics, renewable energy, and battery technologies.
- Strengthens India’s Blue Economy by creating opportunities in marine mining, biotechnology, and freshwater generation.
- Scientific & Technological
- Advances in materials science (titanium alloy fabrication, precision welding).
- Development of autonomous vehicles, robotics, and ocean climate modelling.
- Indigenous innovation in acoustic communication systems.
- Environmental & Climate
- Ocean climate change advisory service will improve projections of monsoons, cyclones, and sea-level rise.
- Capacity to monitor and conserve deep-sea biodiversity.
- Potential risks of deep-sea mining on fragile ecosystems require balanced policies.
- Human Capital & Capacity Building
- Training of aquanauts in extreme environments builds expertise similar to astronauts.
- Establishment of marine research stations strengthens R&D and future innovation.
- Creates opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration among oceanography, engineering, and climate science.
Challenges and Way Forward
| Challenges | Way Forward |
| Extreme Pressure: At 6,000 metres, pressure is ~600 times atmospheric pressure; even 0.2 mm deviation in the titanium sphere can cause collapse. | Strict adherence to precision fabrication (electron beam welding), global collaborations for material sourcing, and phased testing. |
| Material Constraints: Titanium alloy of required thickness (80 mm) is rare and strategically controlled by few nations. | Encourage domestic alloy production, long-term agreements with friendly nations, and research into alternative composites. |
| Life-Support Systems: Maintaining oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a confined sphere is critical. | Redundant scrubbers and rebreathers, continuous monitoring sensors, and simulation training for aquanauts. |
| Communication Limitations: Radio waves don’t penetrate seawater; acoustic systems face distortion from temperature/salinity. | Enhance indigenous acoustic telephone technology, integrate AI-based adaptive filters for clearer communication. |
| Aquanaut Safety & Health: Long missions without food/water access and no space for washrooms; psychological stress in confined spheres. | Rigorous physical and psychological training, pre-mission dietary protocols, and emergency backup systems. |
Conclusion
The Samudrayaan Project is a landmark step that propels India into the global league of deep-sea exploration nations. By combining indigenous technology, human expertise, and institutional collaboration, India seeks to unlock critical resources, enhance scientific knowledge, and strengthen its blue economy. However, success will depend on overcoming technological and environmental challenges while ensuring sustainability and aquanaut safety. If executed well, Samudrayaan will stand as India’s deep-sea equivalent of the Gaganyaan mission.
| Ensure IAS Mains Question
Q. Discuss the significance of India’s Samudrayaan Project in the context of the Blue Economy and strategic resource security. What are the major technological and environmental challenges India must overcome for its success? (150 words) |
| Ensure IAS Prelims Question
Q. Consider the following statements about the Samudrayaan Project: 1. It is being implemented under the Deep Ocean Mission coordinated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). 2. The Matsya-6000 submersible is designed with a steel personnel sphere to carry humans to 6,000 metres depth. 3. The mission aims to explore polymetallic nodules that may contain nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements. 4. India will become the first Asian country with human deep-sea exploration capability once the project is completed. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 and 3 only b) 2 and 4 only c) 1, 2 and 3 only d) 1, 3 and 4 only Answer: a) 1 and 3 only Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: The Samudrayaan Project is one of the six components of the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM), which was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, is the coordinating agency. Statement 2 is incorrect: Initial test dives used a steel sphere but steel cannot withstand the extreme pressures at 6,000 m. The final design of Matsya-6000 uses a titanium alloy sphere of ~80 mm thickness to safely house the aquanauts. Statement 3 is correct: A key objective of the mission is to explore polymetallic nodules, which are rich in nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, and rare earth elements, crucial for electronics, renewable energy, and strategic industries. Statement 4 is incorrect: China already has advanced human deep-sea exploration capability and has undertaken dives beyond 10,000 metres. India will become the second Asian nation to achieve this. |
