OPEN SESAME

India is charting a course to become a global leader in deep-sea exploration

- ABHINAV SINGH

Imagine a vault so vast that it stretches across underwater mountains, built by nature over thousands—sometimes millions—of years.

A vault packed with gold, silver, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements that power everything from smartphones to satellites. Now, imagine India being handed the keys to explore some of the richest parts of this vault.

That moment has already materialised.

In September, India took a decisive leap into the global race for deep-ocean minerals by signing a landmark 15-year agreement with the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

The signing, held at Prithvi Bhawan, the ministry of earth sciences headquarters in Delhi, during the visit of ISA Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho, gives India exclusive rights to explore 10,000sqkm in the Carlsberg Ridge—a 3,000-km-long underwater mountain chain in the Indian Ocean. It is believed that the area holds polymetallic sulphides (PMS), which are deposits rich in precious and industrially vital metals.

The Carlsberg Ridge lies closer to India than other ridge systems, a fact that will help reduce operational costs. “The Carlsberg Ridge exploration rights give India access to a scientifically promising area known for active hydrothermal vents and PMS deposits,” said Manasa Ranjan Behera, professor of ocean engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. “This region may contain high-value metals needed for India’s future manufacturing and clean-energy sectors. In addition, the exploration allows Indian scientists and engineers to advance research on seafloor geology, hydrothermal circulation, and unique deep-sea ecosystems, strengthening India’s position as a leading ocean science nation.”