India plans to apply for licenses to explore deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean, aiming to secure supplies of crucial minerals for energy transition technologies, according to M. Ravichandran, a leading scientist at the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The UN-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 31 deep-sea exploration licenses, including two for India in the Indian Ocean. However, mining has not yet begun as the ISA’s 36-member council is still finalizing regulations. The council is meeting in Jamaica this month to discuss the latest draft of the mining code.
India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences is preparing to apply for exploration licenses in the Pacific Ocean next year, focusing on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone—a significant area between Hawaii and Mexico known for its large volumes of polymetallic nodules. These nodules contain essential minerals like manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt, which are critical for electric vehicles and solar panels.
Despite India’s interest, the country currently lacks the seabed mining expertise seen in nations like China. Experts estimate that it will take India three to four years to develop the necessary capabilities for deep-sea mineral extraction.
“We have done a lot of work on deep-sea mining technology but have not yet perfected it,” said M. Rajeevan, former chief of India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences.
There are concerns about the environmental impact of deep-sea mining on marine ecosystems, as its effects are not yet fully understood.
