India submitted an application to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on January 18, 2024, seeking approval to explore cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount located in the Central Indian Ocean. The application, filed by the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, underscores India’s ambition to secure vital minerals crucial for electric vehicle batteries, aligning with its 2070 net-zero emissions target.
The exploration area covers 3,000 square kilometers, divided into 150 blocks, each no larger than 20 square kilometers, organized into six clusters. The comprehensive 15-year plan outlines three phases of extensive geophysical, geological, biological, oceanographic, and environmental studies. India has already paid a $500,000 fee for the ISA to consider its application and submitted a detailed five-year initial exploration program.
However, the application faced a significant hurdle due to overlapping territorial claims. The ISA noted that the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount lies within an area also claimed by another country, which experts believe to be Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka had previously applied in 2009 to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) for an extension of its continental shelf boundaries, potentially including the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount. While the CLCS has not yet made a decision on this claim, India’s recent opposition to Sri Lanka’s application further complicates the matter.
India’s application to the ISA has been put on hold since it did not respond in time to the competing claim issue during the ISA’s 29th Session of the Legal and Technical Commission held on March 12, 2024. The ISA will review the application again once India addresses the competing claims.
China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean has significantly influenced India’s urgency. Chinese survey vessels, such as the Yuan Wang and the Shi Yan 6, frequently operate in the region, raising concerns about China’s intentions. While conducting scientific research, these vessels also gather valuable data that could be used for military purposes. China’s dominance in the global cobalt supply chain and its strategic activities in the Indian Ocean have pushed India to secure its mineral rights in the region.
India’s deep-sea mining initiatives are part of its broader strategy to counter China’s influence. The Deep Ocean Mission, which was launched in 2021, has a $500 million budget for five years and exemplifies India’s commitment. The mission includes developing a crewed deep-sea mining submersible to explore polymetallic nodules, which contain critical minerals like cobalt.
With China controlling 70 percent of the world’s cobalt supply, securing exploration rights in the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount is crucial for India to fuel its clean energy economy. The strategic competition for deep-sea resources highlights the geopolitical significance of the Indian Ocean and the critical minerals essential for the global transition to green energy.
