India's Deep Ocean Mission sends aquanaut 5,002m below surface in record-breaking dive
Deep Ocean Mission
, sending an aquanaut to a depth of 5,002 metres — the deepest human dive ever undertaken by the nation, reported TOI.
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The mission, aimed at advancing both manned and unmanned submersible technology and
deep-sea mining
capabilities, seeks to unlock resources within India's Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf.
The milestone was part of an Indo-French collaboration in which two Indian aquanauts — Jatinder Pal Singh and Raju Ramesh — completed deep dives in the North Atlantic Ocean aboard the French submersible
Nautile
on August 5 and 6.
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The twin feats come barely a month after
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh hailed the achievements as a rare 'double conquest' for India, remarking, 'We have an Indian going into space and another venturing into the deep ocean almost at the same time.'
Historic dives and future plans
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On August 5, Ramesh, a scientist with the National Institute of Ocean Technology, descended 4,025 metres beneath the surface. The next day, retired Navy Commander Singh set the new Indian record, plunging to 5,002 metres.
'This expedition is part of the Deep Ocean Mission, one of whose goals is to create a human-rated submersible capable of exploring the deepest parts of the ocean,' said M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, according to the report.
The
Nautile
will be used for additional dives before India begins trials of its own
indigenous deep-sea vehicle
, the
Matsya 6000
, under the Samudrayaan project. The first Indian-led deep dive using the craft is targeted for December 2027.
Astronaut Shukla to meet PM Modi
In a parallel achievement for India's exploration ambitions, Shukla — the country's second astronaut and the first to visit the ISS — is expected to return home this weekend. According to Space Minister Jitendra Singh, he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before travelling to Lucknow to reunite with his family, and will later be back in Delhi for National Space Day celebrations on August 23.
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