**Summary:**
The Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced the completion of the design and integration of the human submersible MATSYA6000, developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, as part of the Deep Ocean Mission. MATSYA6000 is designed to carry three individuals to a depth of 6000 meters for scientific exploration and observation of deep-sea living and non-living resources, including biodiversity and deep-sea minerals. Wet harbor trials were successfully conducted in January-February 2025 at LT Shipbuilding Facility in Katupalli, near Tamil Nadu.
Technological innovations incorporated into MATSYA6000 include a biovest for real-time crew health monitoring, a cognitive digital twin for emergency support, an underwater acoustic telephone, a human-rated emergency ballast management system, a welded titanium alloy exostructure, and an 80mm thick electron beam welded titanium alloy personnel sphere. The submersible also features hydrostatically stable and hydrodynamically efficient subsystems with a high-density Lithium-Polymer-based main power system for propulsion.
As part of an Indo-French partnership, NIOT scientists participated in deep-ocean human scientific expeditions aboard the French submersible Nautile in August 2025, gaining operational experience up to 5000 meters in the Atlantic Ocean. The titanium personnel sphere of MATSYA6000 is being realized indigenously with support from ISRO. Subcomponents are being developed with Indian industry partners, while inertial navigation systems and integration with positioning systems and an underwater acoustic telephone are being undertaken with DRDO.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on August 20, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Deep Ocean Mission: An initiative under which the MATSYA6000 submersible was developed.
MATSYA6000: A human submersible designed to carry three persons to a depth of 6000 meters for deep sea exploration.
National Institute of Ocean Technology NIOT, Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The organization responsible for the design and integration of the MATSYA6000 submersible.
LT Shipbuilding Facility in Katupalli, Tamil Nadu: Location where wet harbor trials of MATSYA6000 were conducted.
IFREMER: French marine institute that developed the submersible Nautile.
Nautile: Submersible developed by the French marine institute IFREMER, used in Indo-French partnership for deep-ocean human scientific expeditions.
ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation, collaborating in the indigenous effort for the realization of the titanium personnel sphere of MATSYA6000.
DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation, undertaking the inertial navigation systems and integration with various positioning systems for MATSYA6000.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEEP-SEA
EXPLORATION
Posted On: 20 AUG 2025 4:41PM by PIB Delhi
The design and integration of the human submersible (MATSYA-6000) to carry three persons to a depth of
6000 meters, completed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, under the Ministry
of Earth Sciences, as part of the Deep Ocean Mission. The wet harbour trials of MATSYA-6000 were
successfully conducted in January-February 2025 at L&T Shipbuilding Facility in Katupalli, near Tamil
Nadu.
MATSYA-6000 is designed to include scientific pay loads to align with India’s scientific exploration and
observation activities for deep-sea living and non-living resources, including biodiversity and deep-sea
minerals.
The technological innovations developed for MATSYA-6000 include a bio-vest for real-time crew health
monitoring, a cognitive digital twin to support during emergency scenarios, an underwater acoustic
telephone, human-rated emergency ballast management system capable of operating from the submersible as
well as a ship, a welded titanium alloy exo-structure, an 80 mm thick electron beam welded titanium alloy
personnel sphere with multi-ring configuration and hydrostatically stable and hydrodynamically efficient
subsystems with high density Lithium-Polymer-based main power system for propulsion.
As part of the Indo-French partnership, NIOT scientists participated in deep-ocean human scientific
expeditions onboard the submersible Nautile developed by the French marine institute IFREMER in August
2025 and gained operational experience at the deep sea up to 5000 meters depth in the Atlantic Ocean and
functional operations.
The design and development of MATSYA-6000 has been completed by NIOT, Chennai, under the Ministry
of Earth Sciences. The realisation of the titanium personnel sphere of MATSYA-6000 has been initiated as
an indigenous effort with ISRO. Sub-components such as the base frame and pressure cases are developed
with Indian industry partners. The inertial navigation systems and integration with Global Positioning
Systems, Doppler Velocity Logs, Depth and Acoustic Positioning Systems and an underwater acoustic
telephone are undertaken with DRDO.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM/AV
(Release ID: 2158412)