New Delhi: Engineers India Limited (EIL) participated in the Industry Outreach Workshop on “Deep-Sea Mining: Business Opportunities & Strategic Importance”, organised by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in New Delhi.
The workshop brought together stakeholders to discuss the business potential, technological requirements and strategic importance of deep-sea mining for India. EIL highlighted its experience in polymetallic nodule resource evaluation, offshore engineering and indigenous processing technologies.
EIL Highlights Deep-Sea Mining Expertise
Anil Kumar, Executive Director (Technical), EIL, participated in the panel discussion on “Deep Sea Mining – Technology & Economic Landscape.”
During the discussion, he highlighted EIL’s demonstrated capabilities across different areas of the deep-sea mining value chain.
EIL’s key areas of experience include:
- Resource evaluation and classification of Polymetallic Nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin.
- Offshore engineering and related technical capabilities.
- Development of India’s first pilot-scale Polymetallic Nodule Processing Facility.
Anil Kumar emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate the development and scale-up of indigenous technologies.
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Focus on Indigenous Technology and Supply-Chain Localisation
EIL stressed the need for greater collaboration among industry, technology developers and other stakeholders to strengthen India’s capabilities in deep-sea mining.
The company highlighted the importance of:
- Scaling up indigenous deep-sea mining technologies.
- Localising critical components and strengthening domestic supply chains.
- Developing sustainable solutions across the deep-sea mining value chain.
- Supporting the transition from pilot-scale technologies towards commercially viable applications.
According to EIL, strengthening domestic technological capabilities will be important for developing a sustainable and economically viable deep-sea mining ecosystem in India.
Nickel, Cobalt, Copper and Manganese Hold Strategic Importance
Deep-sea mineral resources contain metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese, which have growing importance for modern technologies and industrial applications.
These critical minerals are used in areas including:
- Clean energy technologies
- Advanced manufacturing
- High-computing systems
- Electric mobility
With demand for critical minerals increasing globally, deep-sea resources have gained strategic importance for countries seeking to strengthen their mineral security and reduce vulnerabilities in critical supply chains.
India’s Exploration Contracts with ISA
India’s interest in deep-sea mineral resources is also reflected in its exploration activities under contracts with the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
India has exploration contracts covering areas in the Central Indian Ocean Basin and the Carlsberg Ridge. These activities underline the strategic significance of deep-sea mineral resources for India’s long-term critical mineral requirements.
The development of indigenous technologies and processing capabilities can support India’s efforts to utilise these resources while focusing on sustainability and responsible resource development.
EIL Focuses on Sustainable Deep-Sea Mining Solutions
EIL continues to strengthen its efforts in indigenous technology development across the deep-sea mining value chain.
The company is focusing on technology development and scale-up with the objective of supporting solutions that are both sustainable and commercially viable.
The workshop provided EIL with an opportunity to share its technical experience and contribute to discussions on the future of India’s deep-sea mining sector.
The company’s participation also reflects the growing role of Indian engineering and technology organisations in strengthening the country’s critical mineral security and developing domestic capabilities in emerging resource sectors.
About Engineers India Limited (EIL)
Engineers India Limited (EIL) is a leading engineering consultancy and project management company under the Government of India. The company provides engineering, project management and technical consultancy services across sectors including hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, fertilisers, infrastructure and emerging areas of technology. EIL is also working on capabilities related to offshore engineering, critical minerals and deep-sea mining as India seeks to strengthen indigenous technological capacity and critical mineral security.
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