India Builds MATSYA 6000 Submarine Under Samudrayaan Mission
We know more about the Moon and Mars than we do about Earth's deep oceans. Vast, untouched environments and valuable resources lie hidden beneath the surface of our seas. To explore these deep regions, India is embarking on an ambitious deep-sea mission known as Samudrayaan.
This mission is led by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), based in Chennai. As part of this mission, India has developed a manned deep-sea submersible named MATSYA 6000, which is gearing up for a bold dive into uncharted ocean territory.
About MATSYA 6000
MATSYA 6000 is being developed as a human-occupied submersible capable of carrying three people to depths beyond 5,000 meters. The submersible features a 2.1-meter titanium sphere designed to safely accommodate humans at extreme pressure.
This titanium alloy crew module is being developed with collaboration between ISRO and NIOT — a rare synergy between India’s space and ocean research agencies.
Key Features and Capabilities
The submersible is equipped with advanced systems for:
- Buoyancy management
- Descent and ascent control
- Power and navigation
- Thrusters for maneuvering
- Manipulator arms for deep-sea operations
- Underwater communication systems
- On-board energy storage (batteries)
- Emergency survival systems
Named after the avatar of Lord Vishnu, "Matsya", the vehicle is designed to operate continuously for 12 hours at 5,000 meters depth and has 96 hours of emergency support capacity.
First Wet Trials
NIOT engineers recently conducted the first successful wet trials of MATSYA 6000 at L&T Port in Chennai. This involved lowering the submersible into the water and testing its systems, subsystems, and integration.
The test included 10 dives, of which five simulated human occupancy inside the 2.1-meter titanium sphere to replicate real mission conditions for a three-member crew.
Unmanned Dive Testing
During unmanned dives, MATSYA 6000 underwent six different types of evaluations to check its performance in shallow waters before moving into deeper sea conditions in the coming years.
This project showcases over 1,000 components and hundreds of unique technologies developed indigenously, aimed at pushing the boundaries of ocean exploration and technology in India.