Harini G
Harnessing energy from any and every deemed resource since time immemorial, humankind has always sought to better its civilizations. We have tilled the land, turned over Earth’s face, dammed rivers, extracted fuel, and new frontiers keep showing up as potential reserves. Land-based minerals have proved phenomenal, driving development by powering economies and enabling technological innovation. As with every venture of humanity, by its standards and definitions of progress through metrics, the repercussions to the planet have been inevitable. Terrains once lush have been scarred hitherto, still leaching toxins and contaminants into their surroundings, and social conflicts are imminent for the communities that once lived there.
It was during the late nineteenth century that polymetallic nodules — ovoid, mineral rich deposits — were discovered and retrieved from the ocean floor. Nearly a century later, these blobs of minerals were considered a new source of energy to forage. With growing interest and their abundance in the seabed, naturally, mankind began to consider commercial deep-sea mining.
Technology, per se, is designed with obsolescence. Gadgets are set to expire. From laptops to smartphones to EV batteries, every appliance comes with a finite warranty and an even shorter functional lifespan. With land-based resources dwindling and the perpetual demand for rare earth metals, deep-sea mining has been thought of as an emerging supply stream. Given the linear nature of our economy, characterized by endless consumption and disposal, seeking to extract from formidable depths just to fuel a throwaway culture is vehemently unsustainable.
The International Seabed Authority even commissioned a study that deemed deep sea mining economically unviable. Besides the obvious expenses and significant threats to profit due to operational challenges at unprecedented depths, ecological risks tend to receive subsidiary priority.
We are known for centuries of exploring and traversing the seas, yet there is so much about these vast depths we do not know. Deep-sea mining tests conducted about 50 years ago left places that should have been teeming with life barren, pointing to how recovery of biodiversity is highly unlikely. Even after decades, the scars from those early experiments remain visible on the seabed, underscoring the long-lasting impact of such activities.
Why This Matters for India
India’s ambitions in deep-sea mining are not merely about resource extraction; they are deeply intertwined with national security and economic self-reliance.
Legal Landscape
India’s legal framework for deep-sea mining is primarily governed by the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 (OAMDR Act). Section 20 of the Act mandates that holders of operating rights must conduct activities in a manner that prevents pollution and protects the marine environment. Additionally, the amendments on the Offshore Areas Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2024, establish guidelines for sustainable mining practices and the protection of marine ecosystems.
However, while these provisions exist, the effectiveness of their implementation and enforcement remains a concern. The challenges of monitoring and regulating activities in such remote and deep environments further complicate the enforcement of environmental safeguards.
On the international front, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is responsible for regulating mineral-related activities in international seabed areas. The ISA has developed a Mining Code that includes environmental regulations and guidelines. However, the ISA has faced criticism for not having a comprehensive environmental policy and for delays in finalizing regulations for deep-sea mining.
Geopolitical Implications
The Indian Ocean has become a focal point of strategic competition, particularly between India and China. The discovery of a cobalt-rich underwater mountain in the region has intensified these tensions. Control over such critical resources is seen as pivotal for technological advancement and energy security. India’s pursuit of deep-sea mining rights is part of a broader strategy to reduce dependency on imports and to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Although the United States helped draft the international law that governs oceans — known as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — it has never officially joined it. This is mainly because, decades ago, the U.S. was uncomfortable with parts of the treaty that deal with how minerals from the deep sea would be shared globally. Even though those concerns were later addressed, the U.S. still hasn’t formally signed on. Under the current government, the U.S. took a more aggressive stance on developing and exploiting commercial deep-sea mining.
Yet in this race for dominance, the planet cannot be collateral. True geopolitical leadership today lies not in who extracts first, but in who protects best. With vast unknowns about deep-sea ecosystems and irreversible consequences of mining at such depths, nations must measure power not by resource control, but by their commitment to ocean stewardship, equity, and intergenerational justice. India, with its civilizational ethos of harmony with nature, can lead by championing precaution over profit, advocating for moratoriums, robust environmental safeguards, and science-driven diplomacy in international forums like the ISA.
About the contributor: Harini G is an undergraduate student at St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, and a fellow of EPAYF 2.0 – Environment Policy and Action Youth Fellowship, Cohort 2.0.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
Sustainability Benchmarking: A Comparison of the ESG Frameworks of Europe and India
Indian Knowledge Systems, 2020: Reviving Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges
Acknowledgment: This article was posted by Riya Rawat, researcher at IMPRI.
