As a result of the first order delineation of potential polymetallic nodule occurrences over the deep sea-bed of the Central Indian Ocean, India became one of the countries, with France, japan, and USSR, to be accorded a Pioneer Status in deep sea-bed exploration in 1982. A mine site measuring 150,000 sq.km was subsequently allotted to India in August 1987 for further exploration and development. Following the registration of this mine site, new research and development programmes have been launched to establish the techno-economic viability of mining metallic nodules from the deep sea-bed. A plan of action has been accordingly designed to implement this programme with the objective of attaining a strategic technological capability which would enable us to develop, at short notice, a full scale commercial mining system, whenever considered necessary to do so in national interest.

The deep sea-bed exploration and mining (polymetallic nodules)programme involves three major components: refinement of technologies for exploration, deep sea-bed mining and extraction of metal. Development of all these sophisticated technologies will have a high innovation potential and wide applicability in many other fields which, besides producing strategic metals like copper, cobalt and nickel, would act as a spur to many new developments. For example, the processes already developed for the extraction of nickel from sea-bed nodules, can, with very little modification, lead to commercially viable extraction of nickel from the extensive low grade sulphide deposits of Orissa.