India Advances Ocean Exploration under Deep Ocean Mission

Context:

The Ministry of Earth Sciences reported successful wet harbor trials of MATSYA 6000, a manned submersible under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM), and reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Global Plastics Treaty being negotiated under UNEP.

Global Plastics Treaty (GPT):

Mandate: A legally binding international treaty under negotiation by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), convened by UNEP.
Goal: To end plastic pollution by 2040 by ensuring lifecycle-based plastic management—from production to disposal.
Approach: Focuses on transitioning to a circular economy in plastics, improving recycling, reducing virgin plastic production, and preventing ecosystem contamination.

India’s Domestic Effort – Deep Ocean Mission (DOM):

Launched by: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in 2021.
Implementing Agency:National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
Budget: ?4,077 crore for a five-year period.
Objective: To promote India’s blue economy by advancing deep-sea exploration, technology development, and marine biodiversity conservation.