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India Today
3 days ago
- Science
- India Today
Indian aquanauts make record 5,000-metre dive in Atlantic Ocean, plant tricolour
In a first-of-its-kind achievement, two Indian aquanauts have plunged more than 5,000 metres below sea level, planting the Indian flag, and the French flag, on the ocean bed during a landmark Indo-French deep-sea part of a collaboration with France, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) experts Raju Ramesh and Cdr (Retired) Jatinder Pal Singh boarded the French research vessel off Portugal, joining the Nautile submersible team for what would become an expedition to the depths of the dives, reaching 4,025 and then 5,002 metres, were undertaken inside Nautile, a state-of-the-art French submersible capable of operating at depths up to 6,000 metres and equipped with robotic arms, sensors, and cameras for underwater operations. Photo: PIB Using the submersible's manipulator, the aquanauts marked their historic presence by planting both nations' flags at the crushing depths, enduring extreme conditions and demonstrating the capabilities required for such five-member NIOT contingent gained invaluable hands-on experience in crucial aspects of human deep-sea dives: pre-dive preparation, habitability, buoyancy management, trajectory tracking, communication protocols, and meticulous dive lessons are particularly relevant as India accelerates preparations for its Samudrayaan mission, where its indigenous Matsya-6000 crewed submersible will soon conduct dives to similar jet lag, multiple flights, and more than a week aboard their vessel in rough seas, the Indian divers' success marks a watershed moment for Indian ocean exploration, proving national expertise and resilience on the global stage. NIOT Director Prof. Balaji Ramakrishnan highlighted the significance: 'Every single component for our Matsya dives is being crafted to withstand the extreme pressure and conditions of the deep ocean.' Samudrayaan during harbour wet test. (Photo: NIOT) The experience gained from the pioneering Indo-French Nautile venture is already being channeled into the final phase of the Samudrayaan mission, scheduled to make India one of only six countries to send a crewed submersible into the abyssal developed by NIOT, will ferry three persons to 6,000m depths in a titanium alloy sphere, facilitating mineral exploration, marine biodiversity studies, and deep-sea rescue India pushes the frontiers of deep ocean science, this historic dive stands as a symbol of international cooperation, technical mastery, and the promise of greater discoveries awaiting beneath the waves.- EndsMust Watch
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
In a first, Indian aquanauts go 5000-metre deep into ocean
Synopsis India is making strides in ocean exploration, following its space achievements. Two Indian aquanauts completed deep dives in the North Atlantic Ocean using a French submersible, reaching depths of over 4,000 and 5,000 meters respectively. This is part of preparations for India's Deep Ocean Mission, aiming to develop indigenous submersible technology for deep-sea exploration and resource harnessing. Agencies Around a month after Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station, India sent an aquanaut 5,000 metres deep into the ocean in a first-of-its-kind expedition earlier this in partnership with France, two Indian aquanauts successfully completed one deep dive each in the North Atlantic Ocean in the French submersible "Nautile" on August 5 and 6 as part of preparations for India's ambitious Deep Ocean Mission. Raju Ramesh, a scientist at the National Institute of Ocean Technology, went 4,025 metres down on August 5, followed by a deep dive of 5,002 metres by Indian Navy Commander (retd) Jatinder Pal Singh on August 6. Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh said, "We have an Indian going into space and an Indian going into the deep ocean almost simultaneously." "India's quest for a double conquest has already taken off... into space and into the deep ocean and that will mark the beginning of value addition to India's economic growth story from two sectors that have remained relatively underexplored or totally unexplored in the last seven to eight decades," he said. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken such a keen interest in the Deep Ocean Mission and blue economy that he spoke about it in his Independence Day speech twice -- in 2022 and said, "India may have one Indian going into space in an Indian spaceship and simultaneously one or more Indians going into the deep ocean in an indigenously developed submersible." M Ravichandran, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, "This expedition was conducted as part of India's Deep Ocean Mission. One of the verticals of the DOM aims to develop technology to harness non-living ocean resources and a submersible which can carry humans to the deepest parts of the ocean for exploration... To gain firsthand experience before we do it in our own submersible, a five-member NIOT team participated in deep dives in the French submersible 'Nautile' under Indo-French research collaboration." He said India will conduct many more dives in the same submersible before it conducts a deep dive in the indigenous Matsya 6000 submersible, which could happen around December Deep Ocean Mission, also known as Samudrayaan, was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 and is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth involves the development of crewed and uncrewed submersibles, deep-sea mining technologies, ocean climate services, biodiversity research and energy from the ocean, aimed at harnessing resources from India's Exclusive Economic Zone and continental Matsya 6000 is designed to carry three people to depths of 6,000 metres inside a 2.1-metre-diameter titanium alloy sphere capable of withstanding extreme is equipped with scientific sensors, data and voice communication systems and safety subsystems with emergency endurance of up to 96 hours. India is expected to join an elite group of only six nations with the capability to undertake manned deep-sea missions.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Deep Ocean Mission: Indian aquanauts dive record 5,000 metres; milestone for undersea exploration
NEW DELHI: In a landmark achievement, India has successfully sent its aquanauts to depths of over 5,000 metres in the North Atlantic Ocean. The mission marked a major step towards the country's Deep Ocean Mission, also known as Samudrayaan. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The feat comes just weeks after became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station. The expedition was carried out in collaboration with France and involved two Indian aquanauts who completed separate deep dives in the French submersible Nautile earlier this month. On 5 August, Raju Ramesh, a scientist at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), descended 4,025 metres. A record-setting 5,002-metre dive by retired Navy Commander Jatinder Pal Singh the next day followed this. Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh said, "We have an Indian going into space and an Indian going into the deep ocean almost simultaneously." He called it part of India's 'double conquest' in underexplored frontiers, which he believes will contribute to the country's economic growth. The minister added that PM Narendra Modi has shown a strong interest in the Deep Ocean Mission and blue economy . The Deep Ocean Mission, cleared by the Union Cabinet in 2021, covers crewed and uncrewed submersibles, deep-sea mining technology, biodiversity research and ocean-based energy projects. It aims to explore and utilise resources within India's Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf. Matsya 6000 M Ravichandran, Secretary in the ministry of Earth sciences, said the Deep Ocean Mission was carried out to gain firsthand experience before India tries the same with its own submersible, Matsya 6000. "One of the verticals of the DOM aims to develop technology to harness non-living ocean resources and a submersible which can carry humans to the deepest parts of the ocean for exploration," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Matsya 6000, likely to be ready by December 2027, will carry three people to depths of 6,000 metres inside a titanium alloy sphere. It will have scientific instruments, communication systems and safety features with emergency endurance of up to 96 hours.
