In September 2025, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has signed a new exploration agreement with International Seabed Authority (ISA), to explore a class of precious metals, ‘Polymetallic Sulphur Nodules (PMS)’in the north-west of Indian Ocean for period of 15 years.
- This is the world’s first licence for polymetallic sulphide exploration in the Carlsberg Ridge, making India a pioneer in tapping this untapped mineral wealth.
- The newly signed agreement is India’s third exploration contract with ISA and its second specifically for PMS exploration.
Exam Hints:
- What: Signing of Agreement for polymetallic sulphide (PMS) exploration
- Entities: MoES & ISA
- Signatories: Dr. M. Ravichandran (MoES) & Leticia Carvalho (ISA)
- Exploration Area: Carlsberg Ridge, North-West Indian Ocean
- Time Period: 15 years
- Significance:
World’s first PMS exploration licence in Carlsberg Ridge
India’s 3rd ISA contract
Key Details of Agreement:
Signatories: The agreement was signed by Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of MoES on behalf of the Government of India (GoI) and Letica Carvalho, Secretary-General of ISA on behalf of ISA, in New Delhi, Delhi.
Exploration Area: As per the contract, India has secured a license from ISA for exploration of PMS covering 10,000 square kilometer (km2) area in the Carlsberg Ridge, a 3,000 km2 stretch that lies in the Indian Ocean, specifically in the Arabian Sea and north-west of Indian Ocean.
Composition: These polymetallic sulphide nodules are rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper.
Previous Agreements: Earlier, the GoI signed two such contracts with ISA:
- The 1st agreement was signed in 2002, securing exclusive exploratory rights in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for nodules, which is valid up to March 2027 after extensions.
- While, the 2nd such agreement was signed in 2016, for exploration of PMS in the Indian Ocean Ridge and is valid till 2031.
Milestone: India became the first ISA member to hold two PMS exploration contracts and the largest allocated area in the international seabed.
India’s Application:
Application: In January 2024, India had applied for exploration rights in two areas i.e. Carlsberg Ridge and Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount (ANS) mount, located in the Indian Ocean.
- Application for ANS mount, located in the Central Indian Ocean is still pending with ISA due to competing claims from Sri Lanka.
Mandatory Permission: Countries are required to obtain permission from the ISA for exploration in areas of the ‘high seas’ or part of the ocean, that is not part of their territories.
UNCLOS Guidelines: Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) guidelines, countries can claim continental shelf rights up to 350 nautical miles, and up to 500 nautical miles in certain areas like the Bay of Bengal.
About International Seabed Authority (ISA):
Secretary-General- Letica Carvalho
Headquarters- Kingston, Jamaica
Established- 1994
