India competes with China in underwater hunt for EV resources
India has entered a competition with China to secure underwater mineral resources vital for the production of electric vehicles and solar panels. India has submitted an application to the United Nations's International Seabed Authority (ISA) to explore two regions in the Indian Ocean for minerals such as cobalt and manganese. M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, acknowledged this competition stating, "We are aware that China and other countries are also eyeing these regions."
India's existing licenses for underwater exploration
India currently holds licenses to explore two regions in the Indian Ocean. The first license, signed on March 25, 2002, and expiring on March 24, 2027, allows exploration of polymetallic nodules in the central Indian Ocean at a depth of 6km. The second license, signed on September 26, 2016, and expiring on September 25, 2031, permits exploration of polymetallic sulphides at the Rodriguez Triple Junction in the southern Indian Ocean. India now aims to explore Carlsberg Ridge and Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount.
Mapping the Indian Ocean for mineral exploration
Sunil Kumar Singh, Director of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), disclosed that only 300,000 sq-km out of the 71 million sq-km Indian Ocean region have been mapped since the 1980s. These surveys include a 150,000 sq-km area with polymetallic nodules— potato-shaped minerals lying on the seabed containing manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper, and iron hydroxide. The exploration process begins with ship-based studies followed by preliminary sampling and autonomous underwater vehicle studies.
India's efforts in environmentally conscious mining
Thamban Meloth, Director of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, explained that remotely operated vehicle studies are conducted alongside a parallel study assessing biological life in the ocean and potential environmental impacts from mining activities. Indian researchers have initiated test mining in an 18,000 sq-km area in the central Indian Ocean. This involves developing and testing equipment to extract minerals without disturbing marine environments. The Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is developing an integrated mining system.
India's push toward self-sufficiency in mineral resources
NIO researchers have identified an estimated 380 million tons of polymetallic nodules within a 75,000 sq-km region in the central Indian Ocean which includes approximately 1.5 million tons of cobalt. Currently, India heavily relies on imports from countries such as the UK, China, and Norway for critical minerals like cobalt. However, India's efforts to tap high-quality minerals from its oceans could be a significant step toward self-sufficiency in these crucial resources.
