MATSYA 6000

• MATSYA 6000 is an indigenously built manned submersible, under the Samudrayaan project ( a project under the Deep Ocean Mission).
• Objective of Samudrayan Project (Period 2020-2021 to 2025-2026): To develop a self-propelled manned submersible to carry 3 human beings to a water depth of 6000 meters in ocean with scientific tools for deep ocean exploration.

• Developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), it is designed to carry three humans to a depth of 6000 m.
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Chennai is an autonomous institute under Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Aim: To comprehensively study deep-sea resources and marine biodiversity assessment up to 6000 meter depth.
• With its launch, India will become sixth country (after US, Russia, Japan, France, and China) to have crewed under-sea expedition.

Deep Ocean Mission 

• Launched: In 2021 by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) as a Central Sector Scheme with Cabinet approval. 
• Purpose: To develop technologies for exploring deep ocean resources, promoting sustainable marine development, supporting the Blue Economy initiative, and addressing climate change and pollution.
• Alignment with Global Goals: Mission aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG-14), which emphasizes the protection of "Life below Water" and highlights ocean''s role in sustaining life and the environment.
• Considering importance of oceans on sustainability, UN has declared decade, 2021-2030 as Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. 
• Budget and Timeline: Mission has an estimated budget of Rs.4077 crore, to be implemented over 5 years (2021-2026) in a phase-wise manner.
• The first phase (2021-2024) is allocated Rs.2823.4 crore.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is nodal ministry overseeing this multi-institutional mission.

Significance of Deep Ocean Mission 

• Strategic Importance: India''s unique maritime position with a 7517 km coastline, nine coastal states, and 1,382 islands offers significant potential for marine resource utilization.
• India has an Exclusive Economic Zone allocated nearly 23, 72,298 sq. km which is unexplored and unutilized.
• Mission supports the government''s ''New India'' vision, which identifies Blue Economy as one of ten core dimensions of growth.
• Economic Impact: Aims to ensure the sustainable utilization of ocean resources for long-term economic benefits. It will contribute to GDP growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation. 

• Focuses on exploring resources like nickel, cobalt, and other minerals, including polymetallic nodules.
• Science and Technology: Facilitates deep-sea exploration through a manned submersible, enabling scientists to observe and study unexplored deep-sea areas directly.
• Underwater Engineering: Promotes innovation in asset inspection, enhancing safety and maintenance in marine infrastructure.
• Ocean Literacy and Tourism: Encourages public awareness about marine ecosystems and opens avenues for marine tourism.

Challenges of Deep Ocean Mission 

• High Pressure: At a depth of 5,000 meters, pressure will be approximately 500 times greater than pressure at sea level. Thus the mission requires specially designed, durable equipment to withstand immense pressure.
• Technical Challenges:
• Equipment Vulnerability: Electronics and instruments struggle to function efficiently underwater.
• Material Extraction: Requires significant power to pump materials from the ocean floor to the surface.
• Communication Limitation: Communication systems face challenges due to waves backscattering, high attenuation etc. 
• Geopolitical and strategic challenge: China''s increased presence in deep-sea regions could restrict India''s exploration efforts, especially in resource-rich zones like the Southwest Indian Ocean.

Way Forward

• Accelerating Indigenous Capabilities: Investing in additional ocean research vessels and acoustic research systems will boost India''s self-reliance in deep-sea exploration.
• Leveraging International Cooperation: India should actively collaborate with technologically advanced nations such as US, Japan, and Australia to enhance expertise, resource-sharing, and technology transfer.
• Platforms like Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) can facilitate coordinated efforts in deep-sea research and mining.
• Utilizing Indo-Pacific Oceans'' Initiative (IPOI): India should focus on IPOI''s four key pillars i.e., Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building, and Science & Technology Cooperation to strengthen deep-sea exploration strategies.