Science and Technology question from UPSC CSE-Prelims, 2026
Which of the following statements with regard to India's Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct?
1. It was launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.
2. Matsya-6000 has been designed to carry 3 people for deep sea exploration.
3. Samudrayaan is a project under this mission.
Last updated Aug 1, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option B —
2 and 3 only
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Deep Ocean Mission was launched and is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, not the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Statement 2 is correct: Matsya-6000 is a manned submersible vehicle designed to carry three personnel to a depth of 6,000 meters for deep-sea exploration and resources mapping.
Statement 3 is correct: Samudrayaan is India's first unique manned ocean mission, and it is a key project executed under the umbrella of the broader Deep Ocean Mission.
Core Pillars of the Deep Ocean Mission
The mission is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme focused on exploring the deep ocean for resources and developing deep-sea technologies. Its main components include:
Deep Sea Mining and Manned Submersible: Developing technologies for mining Polymetallic Nodules from the Central Indian Ocean Basin alongside the Samudrayaan project.
Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services: Developing a suite of observations and models to understand and predict climate alterations.
Technological Innovations for Deep-Sea Biodiversity: Exploration and conservation of deep-sea flora and fauna.
Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration: Mapping potential sites of multi-metal hydrothermal sulphides.
Energy and Freshwater from the Ocean: Engineering offshore Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) powered desalination plants.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
