Why in the News?

• India has secured a first-of-its-kind International Seabed Authority licence to explore polymetallic sulphides in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Exploration Rights (Introduction, New Rights, Previous Efforts, Strategic Significance, Legal & Environmental Dimensions, Future Outlook, etc.)

Introduction

• India has taken a major step in its pursuit of critical minerals by securing a first-of-its-kind exploration licence from the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
• The licence grants India rights to explore polymetallic sulphides in the Carlsberg Ridge, a geologically significant zone in the northwest Indian Ocean.
• With growing global competition for rare minerals needed for clean energy technologies, the development is a milestone in India’s deep-sea mining ambitions.

India’s New Exploration Rights

• The agreement, signed in September 2025 with the Jamaica-based ISA, permits India to explore polymetallic sulphur nodules spread across 3,00,000 sq. km in the Carlsberg Ridge.
• These nodules are rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper, minerals critical for batteries, renewable energy infrastructure, and high-tech manufacturing.
• This marks the first licence globally for such exploration in the Carlsberg Ridge, making India a pioneer in accessing this untapped mineral wealth.

Previous Exploration Efforts

• India’s engagement with seabed exploration is not new. It had earlier secured exploratory rights in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (2002) for polymetallic nodules and later in 2016 for polymetallic sulphides along the Indian Ocean Ridge.
• These contracts, valid until 2027 and 2031 respectively, laid the groundwork for India’s technological and institutional capabilities in deep-sea mining.
• Over the years, multiple surveys have been commissioned, but large-scale exploitation remains constrained due to environmental concerns and the high cost of deep-sea operations.

Strategic Importance

• The significance of these exploration rights extends beyond mineral acquisition.
• With the increasing demand for critical minerals to support electric mobility, renewable energy storage, and advanced electronics, having secured rights ensures India’s strategic leverage in global supply chains.
• Geopolitical competition adds urgency. Reports of Chinese vessels scouring the region partly prompted India’s 2024 application to the ISA.
• Exploration rights are often as much about preventing rival claims as they are about extraction. In this sense, India’s licence serves both economic and national security goals.

Legal and Environmental Dimensions

• According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), countries can claim continental shelf rights up to 350 nautical miles (and in some regions, like the Bay of Bengal, up to 500 nautical miles).
• Beyond this, resource-rich “high seas” territories come under the ISA’s jurisdiction.
• While India’s exploration rights open vast opportunities, deep-sea mining remains controversial.
• Scientists caution that disturbing seabed ecosystems could trigger irreversible biodiversity loss.
• Internationally, debates continue on creating robust safeguards before commercial exploitation begins. India, while pursuing its strategic interests, will have to balance exploration with its environmental commitments.

Global Context and Future Outlook

• Currently, 19 countries hold some form of seabed exploration rights under ISA agreements.
• However, India’s Carlsberg Ridge licence is unique due to its scale and strategic location, forming the boundary between the Indian and Arabian tectonic plates.
• Looking ahead, India is likely to invest in building indigenous capabilities in subsea technology, robotics, and environmental impact assessment.
• As the global clean energy transition accelerates, securing reliable supplies of cobalt, nickel, and copper will be vital for India’s manufacturing competitiveness and energy security.