India's outer surface is cracking: Scientists reveals how the Indian subcontinent may split into two parts

Time of India

23-04-2025

In a seismic revelation that could reshape our understanding of the planet's crust, scientists have found that the Indian Plate is splitting apart. A part of the plate's lower layer is peeling off and plunging into the Earth's mantle. The process—called delamination—was detected beneath the Tibetan Plateau using seismic waves and helium gas analysis from natural springs. These findings have raised urgent scientific questions about the stability of one of Earth's most active tectonic zones.
The Indian Plate, which has been colliding with the Eurasian Plate for about 60 million years, gave rise to the Himalayas. But this new study reveals a less visible, more dramatic shift underway—right beneath our feet.
'We didn't know continents could behave this way'
The research, published by the
American Geophysical Union
, has caught many experts off-guard. Delamination is rare, and its presence in such a prominent plate suggests tectonic processes are far more complex than earlier believed.
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'We didn't know continents could behave this way, and that is, for solid earth science, pretty fundamental,' said Douwe van Hinsbergen, a geodynamicist at Utrecht University.
The findings challenge the traditional view of tectonic plates as rigid blocks. Instead, they reveal that parts of these plates—especially their deeper sections—can soften, break off, and sink back into the Earth over geological time.
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Earthquake risks across the Himalayas could intensify
The potential impact on
seismic activity
is profound. The Himalayan region is already one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world. With the Indian Plate tearing from below, new stress lines could be forming in the crust above.
Simon Klemperer, a geophysicist at Stanford University, warned that this process could produce new zones of seismic instability: 'The tearing and sinking of the plate could create new stress points in the
Earth's crust
, triggering more frequent and potentially more powerful quakes.'
Particular attention is being paid to the
Cona-Sangri Rift
, a deep fracture in the Tibetan Plateau. Scientists believe it may be directly connected to this hidden tear. If confirmed, regions around this rift could face heightened earthquake threats in the coming decades.
A global tectonic rethink
The implications go beyond India. The study suggests that delamination may not be unique to the Indian Plate. Researchers are now scanning other continental plates for signs of similar activity. If such processes are more common than previously believed, this could change how scientists understand everything from how mountains form to why tectonic plates move the way they do.
'This could be a missing piece in our puzzle of how continents evolve and interact,' said Fabio Capitanio, a geodynamicist at Monash University. 'It's just a snapshot, and much more data is needed to understand the full picture.'
The discovery raises new questions about continental interiors. Can such deep rifts explain the formation of other mountain chains? Are there hidden fractures beneath our continents waiting to be found?
More questions than answers
For now, the answers remain partial. Capitanio urged caution, noting that while the discovery is exciting, it is based on early data. 'It's just a snapshot,' he said, underlining the need for deeper studies to map how this process evolves over time.
Researchers continue to monitor seismic activity and helium levels across the region, using these tools to paint a clearer picture of what's happening miles beneath the Earth's surface. The story of the Indian Plate's subterranean split is still unfolding.
Beyond academic theory, the real-world consequences of delamination are significant. If confirmed, this process could help explain long-standing geological puzzles and improve earthquake forecasting. It might also change how nations plan infrastructure in vulnerable zones and how scientists model Earth's internal behaviour.
As the Indian Plate tears apart from within, it leaves a pressing question in its wake: How many more hidden splits lie beneath the continents we thought we knew?