• The Government of India has recently signed a contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to explore polymetallic sulphur nodules in the Carlsberg Ridge, a key mid-oceanic ridge located in the western Indian Ocean.
• The agreement will enable India to study and potentially harness deep-sea mineral resources, crucial for future energy and technological needs.
• The Carlsberg Ridge, a divergent plate boundary, extends from the triple junction of the African, Indian, and Australian tectonic plates to the Gulf of Aden. It separates the Arabian Sea to the northeast from the Somali Basin to the southwest and forms the boundary between the Somali Plate and the Indian Plate.
• Situated at depths of 6,000–12,000 feet (1,800–3,600 meters) below sea level, the ridge rises about 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) above the seafloor. It connects with the East African Rift System via the Gulf of Aden and is a prominent earthquake-prone mid-ocean ridge in the western Indian Ocean.
• India’s exploration of the Carlsberg Ridge is expected to boost the country’s deep-ocean mission objectives and strengthen its role in the sustainable use of ocean resources.