India Aiming for Global Competitiveness Through Indigenous Capabilities and International Cooperation: Dr. Jitendra Singh at IPRD 2026

1. At a Glance

• At the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2026, Dr. Jitendra Singh said India aims to be globally competitive in ocean research through three routes: indigenous capability, international cooperation and global co-creation. He linked deep-ocean exploration to Viksit Bharat 2047 [1].
• The model is a mission-mode, whole-of-government and whole-of-science approach. Ocean sciences, space technology, nuclear science, geology, electronics and robotics are brought together instead of each staying inside one ministry [1].
• Why it matters for UPSC: it ties together the Deep Ocean Mission / Samudrayaan, the Blue Economy, India's Indo-Pacific maritime diplomacy, the RDI Fund and ANRF for research financing, and nuclear-sector reform (SHANTI Act). It is useful for both GS-II and GS-III [1].

2. Why in the News

• 04 Nov 2026: Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed IPRD 2026, organised with the National Maritime Foundation. He proposed "One Ocean, Shared Knowledge and Equitable Prosperity" as the guiding principle for Indo-Pacific ocean cooperation [1].
• He confirmed the target for India's first human deep-sea mission: down to 6,000 m by 2028 in the Matsya submersible [1].
• He highlighted the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund and the SHANTI Act, which opened the nuclear sector to private participation, as tools for private participation in science [1].

3. Background & Evolution

IPRD track

• What it is: the IPRD is the Indian Navy's annual apex-level conference and its main strategic-level international outreach. The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is its knowledge partner and chief organiser [6][7].
• 2018, 2019: first two editions, both in New Delhi. 2020: cancelled because of Covid-19. 2021: held online [7].
• 2022 theme: "Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative" [6].
• 2023 theme: "Geopolitical Impacts Upon Indo-Pacific Maritime Trade and Connectivity" [8].
• Oct 2025: the seventh edition (IPRD 2025) was held in New Delhi, with about 40 speakers from 19 countries [5].

Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) track

• June 2021: the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the DOM, to be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), at ₹4,077 crore for 5 years (2021–26) [2].
• Samudrayaan aims to send three persons to 6,000 m in MATSYA 6000 to explore deep-sea resources such as minerals [4].
• 22 Jan – 14 Feb 2025: MATSYA 6000 completed wet-harbour trials, with both crewed and uncrewed dives [3].
• Schedule: integration and deep-water tests are slated for mid-2027, and scientific exploration for 2027–28 [3]. This matches the "6,000 m by 2028" target [1].

Research-financing track

• 5 Feb 2024: the ANRF Act, 2023 came into force [12].
• 1 Jul 2025: the Cabinet approved the RDI Scheme, worth ₹1 lakh crore over 6 years [9].

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Fact
Speaker	Dr. Jitendra Singh, at IPRD 2026, 04 Nov 2026 [1]
IPRD organiser	Indian Navy, with the National Maritime Foundation as knowledge partner and chief organiser [1][6]
Deep Ocean Mission	Implemented by MoES; ₹4,077 crore; 2021–26; approved by CCEA [2]
DOM scope (per release)	Explores deep-ocean resources and ocean renewable energy; cited twice in the PM's Independence Day addresses [1]
Samudrayaan	India's human deep-sea mission; part of the DOM [1][4]
Matsya submersible	3 aquanauts; designed for 5,000–6,000 m; built by NIOT, Chennai [1][3]
Human dive target	Up to 6,000 m by 2028 [1]
NIOT trial area	Central Indian Ocean Basin, at 5,000–6,000 m [1]
Ocean Mineral Explorer	High-resolution exploration of hydrothermal sulphide deposits [1]
Space-based ocean observation	Satellites measure ocean colour, sea-surface temperature and wind vectors [1]
Nuclear desalination	Kalpakkam plant set up with BARC support [1]
Lakshadweep	Low-temperature desalination facility developed through MoES [1]
RDI Fund	₹1 lakh crore over 6 years; ~₹20,000 crore for FY 2025–26; only projects at TRL 4 and above [9]
RDI structure	A Special Purpose Fund within ANRF holds the money; second-level fund managers include AIFs, DFIs, NBFCs, BIRAC and TDB; nodal department is DST [10]
RDI approach (per release)	50:50 equity-based participation of private players alongside government [1]
SHANTI Act	Opened the nuclear sector to private participation [1]
Nuclear target	100 GW by 2047 [1]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Scientific / Technological

• The approach brings several fields together: submersibles (ocean engineering), satellites (space), desalination (nuclear) and robotics and electronics [1].
• India plans human deep-sea and human spaceflight (Gaganyaan) missions in the same period, which puts it in a small group of countries with both capabilities [1].
• The Ocean Mineral Explorer moves India from broad survey work to high-resolution, resource-specific exploration of sulphide deposits [1].

Economic

• Deep-ocean resources are presented as a new source of economic value addition, a core idea of the Blue Economy [1].
• The RDI Fund is meant to move R&D spending away from mainly public funding. It offers long-term, low-interest financing for private R&D in sunrise sectors [9]. The release describes it as an equity model in which private players invest alongside government [1].
• Ocean renewable energy (offshore wind, solar, thermal and energy gradients) is a possible future energy source [1].

Geopolitical / Strategic

• The theme "One Ocean, Shared Knowledge and Equitable Prosperity" presents India as a provider of public goods in the Indo-Pacific [1].
• The IPRD's earlier themes are built around the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). Ocean science cooperation fits under its pillars [6].
• The cooperation proposals include joint scientific missions, reciprocal access to research facilities and data sharing [1]. These are soft-power tools for working with island and coastal states.

Environmental

• Marine pollution and ocean-temperature change cross national boundaries, so they need transboundary governance [1].
• India proposed regional climate-services partnerships for coasts and islands, and better forecasting of extreme events [1].
• Tension to note: deep-sea mining can conflict with biodiversity conservation. The release itself calls for conservation and equitable use of ocean resources [1].

Social

• Nuclear and low-temperature desalination supply drinking water to coastal and island communities, as at Kalpakkam and Lakshadweep [1].

Administrative / Governance

• Mission mode reduces ministry silos. The challenge is coordinating MoES, DAE, the Department of Space and DST [1].
• Timeline slippage: the DOM was sanctioned for 2021–26 [2], but the crewed dive is now targeted for 2027–28 [1][3]. This points to a likely need for a mission extension. That is an inference, not something the sources state.

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• Jan–Feb 2025: MATSYA 6000 wet-harbour trials, crewed and uncrewed [3].
• 1 Jul 2025: the Cabinet approved the RDI Scheme, ₹1 lakh crore over 6 years [9].
• Aug 2025: a PIB backgrounder set deep-water tests for mid-2027 and scientific dives for 2027–28 [3].
• Oct 2025: IPRD 2025, the seventh edition, in New Delhi [5].
• 4 and 13 Feb 2026: TDB and BIRAC, as RDI second-level fund managers, issued calls for proposals [11].
• 04 Nov 2026: Dr. Jitendra Singh spoke at IPRD 2026 and restated the 6,000 m by 2028 target [1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Matsya carries three aquanauts and is designed for 5,000–6,000 m [1].
• India's first human deep-sea mission targets up to 6,000 m by 2028 [1].
• Matsya 6000 is developed by NIOT, Chennai, under MoES [3].
• The Deep Ocean Mission costs ₹4,077 crore over 2021–26 and was approved by the CCEA [2].
• The DOM is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, not MoEFCC or DST [2].
• NIOT runs deep trials in the Central Indian Ocean Basin [1].
• The Ocean Mineral Explorer targets hydrothermal sulphide deposits [1].
• The Lakshadweep desalination plant uses low-temperature technology developed through MoES. Kalpakkam desalination was set up with BARC support [1].
• The RDI Scheme has a ₹1 lakh crore corpus over 6 years, was approved on 1 Jul 2025, and funds only TRL 4+ projects [9].
• The RDI Special Purpose Fund sits within ANRF. The nodal department is DST [10].
• The ANRF Act, 2023 came into force on 5 Feb 2024 [12].
• The IPRD is the Indian Navy's apex annual international conference. The National Maritime Foundation is its knowledge partner [6].
• IPRD 2020 was cancelled because of Covid-19. The first edition was held in 2018 [7].
• India's nuclear capacity target is 100 GW by 2047. The SHANTI Act opened the sector to private players [1].

8. Why the 2028 Dive Date Is a Promise Under Review

• This mission has slipped before, more than once
• In 2017 PIB said the Deep Ocean Mission would launch by January 2018 [18].
• The Cabinet approved it only in June 2021, more than three years later [2].

• Its approved period, 2021–26, has now ended. But the crewed dive is now set for 2028 [1][2].

• Parliament's own committee says progress is behind

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change looked at the mission in its 411th Report. A Standing Committee is a group of MPs that checks the work of a ministry [13].
• It said overall progress does not match the original objectives and timelines [13].

• It named two parts as still incomplete: Samudrayaan, and the integrated deep-sea mining system for polymetallic nodules (potato-sized lumps on the seabed that are rich in metals) [13].

• Why this matters for how you read the minister's speech

• "6,000 m by 2028" is a restated target, not a finished result. The deep-water tests are still ahead, set for mid-2027 [3].
• Any further delay in those tests pushes the dive back too, because the scientific dives come after them [3].
• In an answer, call 2028 a target, and quote the committee's concern next to it.

9. Why One Fund Cannot Fix India's Thin Private R&D

• The gap is very large
• India spends about 0.65% of GDP on research. This is called GERD (Gross Expenditure on R&D: all research spending in the country, by government and companies together) [14].

• The US spends about 3.5%, China about 2.4% and South Korea about 4.5% [14].

• Private companies have barely moved in years

• The private share of India's R&D spending rose only from 32.1% in 2010-11 to 36.8% in 2017-18 [15].

• That is less than five percentage points in seven years. A ₹1 lakh crore fund spread over six years has to change a habit that has hardly shifted [9][15].

• The RDI Fund leaves out early-stage ocean science

• The fund supports only projects at TRL 4 and above [9]. TRL (Technology Readiness Level) is a 1–9 scale. Level 1 is a basic idea, and level 9 is a product that has been proven in use.
• Much deep-sea work, like studying seabed life or new sensors that can survive 6,000 m, is still at levels 1–3. Those projects cannot get RDI money.

• So the fund helps companies turn ocean technology into products. It does not create the early science that those products need first.

• Private money needs a buyer at the end

• Companies invest when they can see a market. For deep-sea mining equipment, the main buyer would be commercial seabed mining.
• India's seabed rights in the Central Indian Ocean Basin are exploration rights given by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). They do not allow commercial mining [16][17].
• Until the rules allow mining, the private return is uncertain. The "50:50" partnership the release describes may therefore attract few private investors for this sector [1].

10. "One Ocean" Talk vs Claiming Our Own Patch of Seabed

• The strongest objection to India's position
• India speaks of "One Ocean, Shared Knowledge and Equitable Prosperity", which treats the ocean as something everyone shares [1].
• But India also holds exclusive rights from the ISA to explore nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. The ISA extended these rights by five years in 2017 [16].
• India also holds a separate contract with the ISA to explore polymetallic sulphides, signed in 2016 [17].

• A critic could say India talks about shared use but works to secure its own share of seabed minerals early, as other mining nations do.

• What is right about the objection

• Exclusive contract areas do mean other countries cannot explore there. Talk of "equitable prosperity" does not change that.

• The Ocean Mineral Explorer targets specific resources, the sulphide deposits [1]. That is resource work, not only shared science.

• The honest answer

• The ISA system belongs to UNCLOS (the UN law of the sea). Under it, the seabed beyond national waters is the "common heritage of mankind", and countries apply to the ISA for licences. Holding a contract is following the shared rules, not breaking them.
• The real test is whether India shares the data from its contract areas, as it offered at IPRD [1]. That data includes seabed life and the condition of the environment.
• If India shares, the two aims fit together. If it does not, the "commons" language is only diplomacy.

11. Who Should Do What Next

• MoES should set dated milestones for each part of the mission and publish them
• The 411th Report asked for measurable milestones under each of the DOM's six verticals (main parts), fixed timelines, and a structured monitoring system [13].

• A public progress page would let Parliament track the 2027 tests and the 2028 dive against these milestones.

• The Cabinet should extend the DOM openly, not quietly

• The 2021–26 approval has ended, but its main parts are unfinished [2][13].

• A formal extension with revised costs and dates would make one clear schedule out of today's mix of old and new deadlines.

• DST and ANRF should fund ocean research below TRL 4

• The RDI Fund is closed to early-stage work [9]. ANRF can fill that gap with grants, because it already holds the RDI money and runs research funding [10].

• NITI Aayog has recommended raising GERD to at least 2% of GDP in four to five years [14]. The RDI Fund alone cannot reach that.

• MEA, the Navy and MoES should turn the data-sharing offer into a real agreement

• India offered joint missions, shared research facilities and shared data at IPRD [1].
• These could be written into the IPOI framework that IPRD already follows [6], with named partner countries and a data-access policy. That would make the "One Ocean" principle something others can check.

12. Anchors for Answers

• Data: India's GERD is about 0.65% of GDP, against ~3.5% (US), ~2.4% (China) and ~4.5% (South Korea) [14]
• Data: Private share of India's R&D rose only from 32.1% (2010-11) to 36.8% (2017-18) [15]
• Report/Committee: 411th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on S&T, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It found DOM progress behind schedule, with Samudrayaan and the mining system incomplete [13]
• Report/Committee: NITI Aayog, Ease of Doing Research & Development in India. It recommends GERD of at least 2% of GDP in 4–5 years [14]
• Law/Case: ANRF Act, 2023 (in force 5 Feb 2024) [12]; UNCLOS and the ISA regime, under which India holds seabed exploration contracts [16][17]
• Scheme: RDI Scheme, ₹1 lakh crore, TRL 4+ only. It finances commercialisation, not early-stage ocean science [9]

13. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Science & Technology (indigenisation of technology, developing new technology); Infrastructure (energy); Conservation and environment; Security challenges in border and maritime areas.
• GS-II: International relations (regional groupings, India's Indo-Pacific policy, IPOI).
• GS-I: Distribution of key natural resources, including ocean resources.
• Possible question stems: 1. India's Deep Ocean Mission reflects a convergence of space, nuclear and ocean technologies. Discuss its significance for the Blue Economy and the challenges in its implementation. 2. 'Oceans do not follow political boundaries.' Examine how science diplomacy can strengthen India's role as a net provider of public goods in the Indo-Pacific. 3. Evaluate whether the RDI Fund and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation can fix India's low private-sector share in R&D spending.

14. Related Topics to Study Next

• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): the policy framework that IPRD themes are built around.
• Blue Economy policy / SAGAR / MAHASAGAR: the economic and strategic setting for ocean resources.
• International Seabed Authority and UNCLOS: the legal rules for deep-seabed mining in the Central Indian Ocean Basin.
• BBNJ (High Seas) Agreement: governance of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, which connects to the "ocean as commons" framing.
• Gaganyaan: the human spaceflight programme that parallels Samudrayaan.
• SHANTI Act and Small Modular Reactors: private entry into nuclear power and the 100 GW target.
• ANRF and the National Quantum Mission: India's broader R&D-financing setup.
• INCOIS and ocean-observation satellites (Oceansat series): space-based ocean monitoring and early warning.

15. NCERT Concepts to Revise

• Deep Ocean Mission (Geography): The mission behind Samudrayaan and Matsya-6000; the note's central topic, including its delays and 2028 target.
• International Seabed Authority (Geography): It grants India's seabed exploration contracts, which are exploration-only rights and not licences for commercial mining.
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Geography): The treaty that makes the deep seabed 'common heritage' and creates the ISA licensing system.
• Polymetallic nodules (Geography): The metal-rich seabed lumps India explores in the Central Indian Ocean Basin; the target of deep-sea mining.
• Blue economy (Economy): Deep-ocean resources are presented as new economic value; this is the policy frame for the whole mission.
• Standing committee (Polity): Explains the parliamentary committee whose 411th Report found the Deep Ocean Mission behind schedule.

16. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Samudrayaan vs Deep Ocean Mission: Samudrayaan is the crewed-submersible part inside the DOM. They are not separate schemes [1].
• Ministry: the DOM belongs to MoES, not MoEFCC, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, or DST. The RDI Fund, by contrast, is run under DST/ANRF [2][10].
• Depth vs date: Matsya's design range is 5,000–6,000 m, the human mission target is 6,000 m, and the year is 2028. Don't mix these up with the DOM's original 2021–26 sanction period [1][2].
• RDI is not a grant scheme: it provides long-term, low-interest or equity financing to private R&D at TRL 4+, through second-level fund managers [9][10].
• IPRD vs other Indo-Pacific forums: the IPRD is a Navy and NMF track-1.5 conference. It is not a Quad, IORA or MEA-led summit [6].