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Key Details:
- Location: Carlsberg Ridge, ~3,00,000 sq. km in the Arabian Sea/northwest Indian Ocean, forming the boundary between Indian and Arabian tectonic plates.
- Resource: Polymetallic sulphides rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper.
- India’s Applications (2024):
- Carlsberg Ridge – approved.
- Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount (ANS) – pending, also claimed by Sri Lanka.
India’s Earlier Exploration Rights:
- Central Indian Ocean Basin – rights since 2002 (valid till 2027).
- Indian Ocean Ridge – rights since 2016 (valid till 2031).
About the ISA:
- Established: 1994 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- HQ: Kingston, Jamaica.
- Mandate: Organises, regulates, and controls all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area (“the Area”), which is the common heritage of mankind.
- Grants contracts for exploration and exploitation of seabed resources like polymetallic nodules, sulphides, and cobalt-rich crusts.
Significance for India:
- Strengthens India’s Deep Ocean Mission and strategic presence in seabed mining.
- Reduces reliance on imports of critical minerals.
- Enhances India’s role in global commons governance.
Why in News?
- India has secured its first global licence from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to explore polymetallic sulphides in the Carlsberg Ridge of the northwest Indian Ocean.
