It is India’s third exploration contract with International Seabed Authority (ISA), and second for PMS.

• Previous contracts are Polymetallic Nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin and PMS in the Indian Ocean Ridge.
  • Polymetallic nodules, also called manganese nodules, are rock concretions formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core, such as a shark tooth or shell.
• This is the first licence granted globally for exploring polymetallic sulphur nodules in the Carlsberg Ridge.
• The Carlsberg Ridge is a 3,00,000 sq km area in the Arabian Sea, northwest Indian Ocean.
  • It forms the boundary between the Indian and Arabian tectonic plates, extending from near Rodrigues Island to the Owen fracture zone.
• Previously, India has also applied for the Afanasy-Nikitin Sea (ANS) mount which is yet to be approved.
  • ANS is located in the Central Indian Ocean and the territory has been claimed by Sri Lanka for exploration rights.

About Polymetallic sulphides (PMS)

• These deposits are rich sources of metals such as copper, zinc, gold, and silver, found on the ocean floor. 
• These deposits occur in regions where hot, mineral-rich fluids from the Earth's mantle are expelled into the ocean, leading to the precipitation of metal sulphides.