NEW DELHI: India has embarked on an ambitious Deep Ocean Mission over the next five years at a cost of over Rs.4000 crore. The mission is as much a result of deep sea research and expertise over the last few decades, as also the recognition that India needs to step up the pace of research and exploration if it is to benefit from seabed resources. There’s also the fact that deep sea exploration technologies need to be largely developed in house, such technologies are jealously guarded and therefore hard to come by.
In this conversation on The Gist, Dr. M.N. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, says India needs to substantially scale up investment in building capacity and research. There are thousands of square miles of seabed in India’s littoral holding vast quantities of rare earths and minerals that this country desperately needs. But these need to be exploited in a sustainable manner without damage to the ocean environment.
Dr. Rajeevan also talks of deep sea submersibles that can descend to 6000 metres (over 19,000 feet), of drawing energy from the oceans and other matters. On The Gist at 7 pm Tuesday.
