New Delhi: India is preparing to make a mark in deep-sea exploration as two scientists from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) gear up to pilot the indigenously built Matsya-6000 submersible up to 500 metres off the Chennai coast early next year. This mission will place India among a select group of countries capable of sending humans to explore the deep ocean.
Ramesh Raju and Jatinder Pal Singh, India’s first aquanauts for the project, will explore the ocean floor as part of the Samudrayaan initiative under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. NIOT Director Balaji Ramakrishnan highlighted that while remotely operated vehicles have previously surveyed deep-sea beds, this is the first mission to deploy humans at such depths, with safety as a top priority.
The Matsya-6000, a 28-tonne autonomous submersible, is designed with a robust boiler steel personnel sphere, high-density Lithium-Polymer batteries, emergency systems, ballast tanks, propellers, robotic arms, and external cameras. Initially, it will operate up to 500 metres, matching naval submarine limits, before progressing to a 6,000-metre dive in 2027 with a titanium personnel sphere capable of withstanding 600 bar pressure.
Project Director Sathia Narayanan noted that human exploration provides unmatched perception compared to cameras, allowing for better decision-making and richer insights into deep-sea biodiversity, minerals, and fuel resources. The mission also reflects India’s commitment to self-reliance, as the submersible was developed domestically after global procurement efforts faced technological roadblocks.
With certification from DNV, a global risk and assurance organisation, the Matsya-6000 is set to be both safe and resilient, capable of traversing the ocean floor at 30 metres per minute. Earlier training dives on France’s Nautile submersible at 5,000 metres have equipped the scientists with vital operational experience.
The Samudrayaan mission marks a significant leap in India’s deep-sea capabilities and aligns with the government’s push to harness the blue economy for sustainable economic growth along the nation’s 11,098 km-long coastline.
