India’s aquanauts dive to 5,000 meters in Atlantic

Two Indian aquanauts, Raju Ramesh and Cdr. Jatinder Pal Singh (Retd), have achieved a historic milestone by successfully diving to depths of 4,025 and 5,002 meters in the Atlantic Ocean on August 5 and 6, 2025. This record-breaking feat, announced by Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh, marks India’s deepest ocean expedition to date and places the nation among a select group of fewer than six countries with such deep-sea exploration capabilities.

A Prelude to the Samudrayan Mission

The dives were conducted as a collaborative scientific activity with IFREMER, France’s marine research institute, using their submersible, the Nautile. The five-member Indian team from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, gained crucial experience in deep-sea piloting, buoyancy management, sample collection, and acoustic communication. The experience is a vital prelude to India’s own Samudrayan Mission.

The MATSYA-6000 Submersible

The Samudrayan Mission, part of the larger Deep Ocean Mission, aims to deploy three aquanauts to a depth of 6,000 meters by 2027 using the indigenously developed submersible, MATSYA-6000. The submersible is a fourth-generation scientific vehicle with a 2.1-meter diameter titanium-alloy hull, designed to withstand immense pressure.

• Trial Progress: The MATSYA-6000 completed its wet trials at the L&T Shipyard in Tamil Nadu in early 2025. According to the current timeline, it is slated for 500-meter shallow water trials in 2026, with the final deep-water tests planned for 2027.
• Technical Specifications: The submersible features a high-density Li-Po battery, an underwater acoustic telephone, and advanced emergency escape mechanisms, including a drop-weight system and bio-vests for crew safety.

The mission is a key component of India’s push for a “blue economy,” focusing on the sustainable harnessing of marine resources. India has already secured a contract with the International Seabed Authority for deep-sea mineral exploration at depths of 4,000 to 5,500 meters, further cementing its position as a global player in ocean research.

Source: AIR