UPSC Prelims 2026 · Question 75 of 96

UPSC Prelims 2026 question on Deep Ocean Mission

Which of the following statements with regard to India's Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct?

1. It was launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.

2. Matsya-6000 has been designed to carry 3 people for deep sea exploration.

3. Samudrayaan is a project under this mission.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 2 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer

Answer: B. 2 and 3 only

Verdict

Statements 2 and 3 are correct, so the answer is Option (b). The correct answer can also be obtained through option elimination, as it is relatively easy to figure out which the correct ministry is.

Analysis

India's Deep Ocean Mission was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and was approved in June 2021 with a budget allocation of Rs 4,077 crore for a five-year period. The mission aims to explore and harness deep-sea resources while strengthening India's capabilities in marine science and technology.

Statement by statement

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Deep Ocean Mission was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), which is responsible for implementing and coordinating the programme, and not by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Statement 2 is correct: Matsya-6000 is a manned submersible designed to carry a crew of three people to depths of up to 6,000 metres for purposes such as resource exploration, biodiversity studies, and scientific research.

Statement 3 is correct: Samudrayaan is one of the major projects under the Deep Ocean Mission and focuses on developing India's manned deep-ocean exploration capabilities through the deployment of Matsya-6000.

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