Samudrayaan Mission: India’s First Manned Deep Ocean Mission to Launch by 2026

Context: The Samudrayaan mission is expected to be launched by the end of 2026.

About Samudrayaan Mission

• Samudrayaan Mission is a key initiative under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM).
• It aims to explore the ocean depths of up to 6,000 meters using a manned submersible vehicle named ‘Matsya 6000’.
• India will join the elite group of countries — U.S., Russia, China, France, and Japan — that have conducted successful crewed deep-sea missions.

Objectives and Opportunities

• Enhance India’s capabilities in deep-sea research.
• Enable assessment of living and non-living ocean resources.
• Strengthen ocean observation systems.
• Explore the potential for deep-sea tourism in the future.

Timeline and Budget

• The cost of Deep Ocean Mission, covering Samudrayaan, is estimated at ₹4077 crore over five years (2021-2026).
• The Samudrayaan mission is likely to be achieved by the end of the year 2026.
• Successful initial unmanned trials of the personnel sphere have been carried out.
• Shallow water manned trials are scheduled later in 2025, followed by deep-sea trials.

Recent Developments under Samudrayaan Mission

• The Matsya-6000 submersible has successfully undergone wet testing in harbour conditions.
• Shallow manned dives (up to 500 meters) are anticipated by the end of 2025.
• The Samudrayaan mission is scheduled for launch towards the end of 2026.
• The Union Budget 2025-26 has sanctioned ₹600 crore for the Deep Ocean Mission, giving a financial fillip to the Samudrayaan project.

About MATSYA 6000

• A 4th-generation, self-propelled, human-rated deep-ocean submersible.
• Being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
• Has successfully completed wet testing.
• Endurance:
  • 12 hours during normal missions.
  • Up to 96 hours in emergency situations.

Significance of Samudrayaan Mission

• Technological Advancement: The mission will put India among a limited number of countries (US, Russia, France, Japan, and China) with the ability for manned exploration of the deep sea.
• Resource Potential: Exploration may open up access to significant deep-sea resources such as polymetallic nodules.
• Scientific Discovery: There will be more observation and comprehension of unvisited deep-sea regions and biodiversity due to direct human intervention.
• Blue Economy: The initiative resonates with the government’s emphasis on the sustainable exploitation of ocean resources for economic development.

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