India is planning to launch its own deep-sea mission to investigate the origins of life on Earth. The mission will emphasise the use of indigenous technology. Scientists from India are set to travel up to 6,000 metres below the sea surface as part of a deep ocean mission to unravel the mysteries of life's origins (DOM).
The Rs 4,077-crore mission will begin with scientists diving to a depth of 500 metres to test various technologies developed for the purpose before venturing deeper into the unknown.
"Some questions about the origins of life remain unanswered. There are theories that life began in hydrothermal vents at depths of four to five kilometres in the ocean "According to M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences,
"At a depth of four to five kilometres, it is completely dark, but there are living organisms. At that depth, how is life born, and how does life survive? The deep ocean mission will also aid in our understanding of this "he stated.
The DOM will also assist India in mapping the ocean floor, which is a rich source of metals and minerals, according to Ravichandran, who added that the mission will assist scientists in identifying and demarcating resource-rich areas that could be exploited later when suitable technology for deep-sea mining becomes available.
"Right now, we know that such resources are available in a given area, and the DOM will assist us in learning the specifics," Ravichandran added.
According to him, the DOM could also lead to the development of various technologies such as acoustic phones, components that can withstand high pressure, research vessels, and related infrastructure.
The technologies required for deep-sea mining have strategic implications and are not commercially available, according to Ravichandran, who added that efforts will be made to adopt indigenous technologies through collaboration with leading institutes and private industries. According to Ravichandran, this mission is also aimed at increasing capacity in marine biology, which will lead to job opportunities in Indian industries.
