Close on the heels of PM Narendra Modi’s Red Fort announcement about India’s upcoming deep-sea exploration mission for oil and minerals, Indian scientists travelled to France this month to gain hands-on experience in deep-ocean exploration.
As part of the Indo-French partnership, scientists from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, joined deep-ocean expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean onboard NAUTILE, a French submersible developed by IFREMER.
Scientists Train at 5,000-Meter Depth
Indian scientists successfully gained operational and functional experience in manned submersible expeditions at depths of up to 5,000 meters. This training marks a key step toward preparing for India’s own Deep Ocean Mission.
India has developed its indigenous human submersible MATSYA-6000, designed to carry three persons to a depth of 6,000 meters.
The submersible will support scientific exploration and observation activities, including both living and non-living deep-sea resources.
In January–February 2025, India successfully conducted the wet harbour trials of MATSYA-6000 at the L&T Shipbuilding Facility in Katupalli, Tamil Nadu.
Cutting-Edge Innovations
The MATSYA-6000 project features several technological innovations, including:
- A bio-vest for real-time crew health monitoring
- A cognitive digital twin for emergency support
- An underwater acoustic telephone
- A ballast management system operable from both a submersible and a ship
- A welded titanium alloy exo-structure
- An 80 mm electron beam-welded titanium alloy personnel sphere with a multi-ring configuration
- A hydrostatically stable, hydrodynamically efficient design
- A high-density lithium-polymer power system for propulsion
- Indigenous Efforts with ISRO and DRDO
The titanium personnel sphere of MATSYA-6000 is being developed indigenously in collaboration with ISRO. Indian industry partners are building key components such as the base frame and pressure cases.
In parallel, DRDO is working on integrating inertial navigation systems, GPS, Doppler Velocity Logs, depth and acoustic positioning systems, and acoustic communication tools into the submersible.
By combining international experience with indigenous innovation, India is steadily advancing towards launching its Deep Ocean Mission, which aims to unlock resources from the ocean floor while enhancing the nation’s strategic and scientific capabilities.
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