India’s first manned ocean mission ‘Samudrayaan’ was launched by Union Minister Jitendra Singh. The minister said that with the launch of this unique mission, India joins the elite club of nations such as the US, Russia, Japan, France and China to have such underwater vehicles for carrying out subsea activities.

Development of MATSYA 6000

• Based on the experience gained over two decades in the development of unmanned robotic vehicles and systems for 6000 m operational capability, MoES-National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is indigenously developing a manned submersible with a depth capability of 6000 meters under the aegis of Deep Ocean Mission.

• The MATSYA 6000 under Samudrayaan initiative is capable of carrying three human beings in a titanium alloy personnel sphere of 2.1 metre diameter enclosed space with an endurance of 12 hours and an additional 96 hours in case of emergency situation. 

• The preliminary design of the manned submersible MATSYA 6000 is complete.

• The niche technology facilitates carrying out deep ocean exploration of non-living resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts. 

• By the end of 2022 or 2023, the shallow water (500 metres) phase is expected to happen which would be followed by more deeper initiatives.

• MATSYA 6000, the deep water manned submersible, will be ready for trials by the second quarter of 2024. 

• The advancing technologies in metallurgy, energy storage, underwater navigation and manufacturing facilities provide opportunity for developing more efficient, reliable and safe manned submersible. 

• This technology shall facilitate in carrying out deep ocean exploration of the non-living resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts, located at a depth between 1,000 and 5,500 metres. 

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