India Secures Rights to Explore Indian Ocean for Valuable Metals

### Rapid Summary
– India secured an exploration contract from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to search for polymetallic sulphur nodules in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean.
– Carlsberg Ridge spans 3,00,000 sq. km in the Arabian Sea and northwest Indian Ocean, marking the boundary between Indian and Arabian tectonic plates.
– Polymetallic sulphur nodules are mineral-rich concentrations containing manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper crucial for various industries.
– India applied to ISA in January 2024 for rights over two regions: Carlsberg Ridge (granted recently) and Afanasy-Nikitin Sea Mount (pending approval amid Sri lanka’s claim).
– This is India’s third exploratory contract with ISA-the previous ones being:
– In March 2002 for Central Indian Ocean Basin (expires March 2027).
– In September 2016 for polymetallic sulphides on another ocean ridge (valid till September 2031).
– Exploration rights are considered strategically crucial; rising global demand for minerals boosts interest but actual deep-sea mining remains controversial due to environmental concerns.

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### Indian Opinion Analysis
India’s accomplished acquisition of exploration rights on the carlsberg Ridge highlights its commitment to securing critical resources essential for future technological capacities such as battery production. While deep-sea mining raises notable concerns about environmental impact-given limited understanding of ecosystems at these depths-exploratory permits serve strategic interests by blocking claims from competing nations.

access to these mineral reserves could strengthen India’s positioning within a competitive geopolitical context as global demand surges. The pending decision over Afanasy-Nikitin Sea Mount underscores growing regional complexities with neighboring countries like Sri Lanka also seeking extended continental shelf claims under UNCLOS regulations.However, challenges such as high extraction costs indicate that actionable commercial gains may remain distant despite promising prospects.

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