DEEP OCEAN MISSION
TOPIC – Govt. Initiative, Oceanography
The cabinet committee on economic Affairs chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) on ” Deep Ocean Mission”, with a view to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean recourses.
ABOUT
The mission proposes to explore the deep ocean similar to the space exploration started by ISRO about 35 years ago.
The focus of the mission will be on deep-sea mining, ocean climate change advisory services, underwater vehicles, and underwater robotics-related technologies.
Two key projects planned in the “Deep Ocean Mission” report include a destination plant powered by tidal energy and a submersible vehicle that can explore depths of at least 6000 meters.
SIGNIFICANCE
The mission will give a boost to efforts to explore India’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf.
The plan will enable India to develop capabilities to exploit recourses in the Central India Ocean Basin (CIOB).
