What is Samudrayaan Mission?
- Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep ocean mission, planned to explore ocean depths of up to 6,000 metres.
- Expected launch: By end of 2026; while a 500-metre trial dive is expected by the end of 2025.
- Vehicle: ‘Matsya’, a 25-tonne indigenous manned submersible.
- Goal: Carry three scientists to deep ocean zones for direct observation and sample collection.
Key Objectives
- Explore deep-sea ecosystems for both living (marine organisms) and non-living (minerals, polymetallic nodules) resources.
- Enhance ocean observation capabilities.
- Advance development of indigenous deep-sea technologies.
- Support India’s blue economy goals and future prospects in deep-sea tourism.
Mission Timeline
| Period | Milestone |
| 2020-21 to 2025-26 | Total project duration (5 years) |
| Late 2025 | Expected 500m depth trial |
| End of 2026 | Manned dive to 6,000m planned |
Manned Submersible ‘Matsya’
- Developed by: National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai
- Hull: Titanium (for deep-sea pressure endurance)
- Capacity: Carries 3 crew members
- Depth Capacity: 6,000 metres
- Endurance:
- 12 hours operational
- 96 hours in emergency
- Significance: Will make India one of six nations with manned sub-sea missions beyond 5,000m (alongside USA, Russia, Japan, France, China)
Implementing Agency
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
- Autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
- Established in 1993
- Mission: Develop reliable technologies for resource harvesting from India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
Key NIOT Technologies for Samudrayaan & Ocean Missions
- Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) – 6,000m rated
- Autonomous Coring System (ACS)
- Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
- Deep Sea Mining System (DSM)
Supporting Technology: Samudrajivah
- Developed by NIOT for open-sea cage aquaculture
- Smart offshore fish cages with:
- Remote monitoring sensors
- Biomass tracking
- Fish growth and movement analysis
- Water quality monitoring
- Supports marine fisheries, mariculture, and food security
- Aligns with India’s Blue Economy development strategy
Training & Capacity Building
Training Programme: Advancing India’s Blue Economy: Role of Fisheries Sector
- Held at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI)
- Organised by CMFRI and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA)
- Focus: Integration of NIOT technologies with CMFRI marine research
Significance of Samudrayaan Mission
- Boosts India’s capability in ocean exploration, resource extraction, and scientific research
- Promotes sustainable marine development
- Strengthens India’s strategic position in global deep-ocean technology
- The mission is aimed at exploring deep-sea resources including minerals, polymetallic nodules, and conducting marine biodiversity research.
- Samudrayaan is comparable to international deep-sea missions and places India among a few elite nations capable of human submersible oceanic research (along with USA, Russia, France, China).