India Plans Deep-Sea Mineral Exploration in Pacific

India is preparing to apply for licenses to explore deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean, aiming to secure essential resources for energy transition technologies. The application will be made to the UN-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA), which is currently finalizing regulations and has already issued 31 exploration licenses, including two to India in the Indian Ocean. M. Ravichandran from India's Ministry of Earth Sciences highlighted the focus on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, known for its deposits of polymetallic nodules rich in manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. However, India lacks the necessary seabed mining expertise and will take three to four years to be ready for extraction. Additionally, concerns regarding the environmental impact of deep-sea mining persist, with calls for a moratorium from several countries. The ISA council is negotiating updates to its mining code in Jamaica this month.