Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh announced the signing of a new 15-year contract between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exclusive rights to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) in Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean. The MoU was signed in the presence of the Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority, Leticia Reis-de-Carvalho, who is currently on a visit to India.
With this, India has become the first country in the world to hold two contracts with ISA for PMS exploration, of which one is in the Central Indian Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge and another in the Carlsberg Ridge. It reaffirmsthe country’s pioneering role in deep-sea resource exploration and its strategic presence in the Indian Ocean. Polymetallic Sulphides contain valuable metals such as iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, and platinum, and are precipitates formed by hot hydrothermal fluids from oceanic crust. The Union Minister said that the new contract is a significant step towards realising the vision of Deep Ocean Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, it focuses on seabed mineral exploration, mining technology development, and strengthening India’s Blue Economy Initiatives. Dr Jitendra Singh said that with two Polymetallic Sulphides contracts now in place, India also holds the largest exploration area allocated for this in the international seabed.
