India is diving deep into the ocean in a quest for minerals crucial for powering the next generation of electric vehicles and solar panels, setting the stage for an underwater competition with China. The country has applied to the United Nations' International Seabed Authority (ISA) for permission to explore the Carlsberg Ridge and Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount (ANS) in the Indian Ocean, known for their cobalt and manganese reserves essential for battery production and solar energy. We recognise the strategic importance of these regions, especially with competition from other nations like China, remarked M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Presently, India holds exploration licenses for polymetallic nodules in the central Indian Ocean and polymetallic sulphides near Mauritius. These efforts aim to reduce India's reliance on imported minerals like cobalt and pave the way for sustainable resource extraction from the ocean depths. With advanced mining technologies and significant mineral reserves identified, India is setto unlock the vast potential lying beneath the ocean's surface. (Source: Economic Times)