CHENNAI, October 16 — The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) alongside the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, on Friday commissioned the modernized expedition suite of Oceanographic Research Vessel (ORV) 'Sagar Nidhi' under the ₹4,077-crore Deep Ocean Mission (DOM).
The 104-meter ice-class research vessel has been refitted with dynamic positioning DP-2 thruster automation, deep-sea hydro-acoustic transponder networks, and heavy-duty A-frame launch davits specifically configured to support sea trials of 'Matsya 6000', India's flagship three-person deep-sea submersible engineered to explore ocean beds down to 6,000 meters depth.
MoES officials confirmed that the upgraded vessel will conduct extensive scientific mapping campaigns across the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB), evaluating hydrothermal vent biospheres and sampling polymetallic nodule beds rich in manganese, nickel, copper, and critical energy transition metals.
The strategic dimensions of India's Deep Ocean Mission, the regulatory jurisdiction of the International Seabed Authority (ISA, headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica) under UNCLOS 1982, deep-sea mining technology (manned submersibles, Remotely Operated Vehicles), and blue economy sustainability are critical topics across UPSC Civil Services (GS-III: Science, Technology & Environment) and State Mining Services exams.