Matsya 6000 is an Indian crewed deep-submergence vehicle designed for deep-sea exploration of rare minerals under the Deep Ocean mission. Currently under development, the vehicle consists of a titanium alloy sphere with an 80mm thickness and a 2.1m diameter, capable of withstanding pressures of up to 600 bar.
On August 31, 2019, Dr. M.A. Atmanand, then Director of NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology), discussed plans to send a submersible vehicle with three persons to a depth of about 6000 meters for deep underwater studies. This mission, referred to as “Samudrayaan,” aimed to position India among developed nations in ocean mineral exploration. The project received final approval from the Ministry of Finance on June 16, 2021.
Development
On October 27, 2021, NIOT conducted an uncrewed trial of the personnel sphere, constructed from mild steel. This trial involved lowering the personnel sphere to a depth of 600 meters in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Chennai. Following the successful trial and certification, Union Minister Jitendra Singh officially launched the project on October 29, 2021. The project received a budget allocation of ₹4,077 crore (US$550 million) for a five-year period.
The Matsya 6000 project is a significant step in India’s efforts to explore the deep ocean and harness its mineral resources for scientific and economic advancements. This deep-sea exploration endeavor holds the potential to reshape the future of ocean exploration and establish India as a key player in this exciting field.
