India's fourth-generation scientific submarine Matsya-6000 has successfully completed its wet testing at the port. This is a significant step for India’s ambitious Samudrayan project aimed at exploring the mysteries of the deep sea. According to a statement released on February 17, this success paves the way for Matsya-6000 to dive up to 500 meters in the sea later this year.

After the design was completed, several tests were conducted to evaluate the integration and performance of the submarine. Following these tests, the submarine was moved to the L&T Shipbuilding Center located at the Kattupalli port near Chennai from January 27 to February 12, 2025, for wet testing and performance evaluation. The objective of the tests was to assess the submarine’s performance on various crucial parameters.

The navigation and communication capabilities were examined. The scientific payload, which included several oceanography sensors, was tested to confirm its functionality. Due to the limited depth of water at the port, underwater acoustic communication was less effective. Now, the submarine will be tested in shallow waters up to a depth of 500 meters in the sea.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences has entrusted the National Institute of Ocean Technology with the task of designing and developing the Matsya-6000 under the Samudrayan project. The goal of the project is to send three people to a depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean for marine exploration.

Key features of the Matsya-6000 include thrusters for movement in all directions and a battery bank for power supply.