Auction of Offshore Mineral Blocks in Andaman Sea — UPPSC current affairs 14 October 2026

The Ministry of Mines held a stakeholder outreach program for auctioning two offshore polymetallic mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea under a Composite Licence framework.

Polymetallic Nodules

Seabed mineral deposits composed primarily of manganese, iron, nickel, copper, and cobalt.

Composite Licence

A unified permit granting rights for preliminary exploration followed by commercial mining upon discovery.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Sea zone stretching up to 200 nautical miles from baseline where a coastal nation holds sovereign resource rights.

Offshore Areas Mineral Act, 2002

Central statute regulating mining rights and exploration in India's territorial waters and continental shelf.

Governed by the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, amended in 2023 to introduce competitive auctioning and Composite Licences.
Grants exclusive rights for combined exploration and production in maritime zones within India's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Offers two deep-sea blocks—Sewell Rise-01 (632 sq km) and West Sewell Ridge-01 (1,000 sq km)—totaling 1,632 sq km in the Andaman Sea.
Targets seabed deposits of polymetallic nodules and crusts containing critical elements like copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
Integrates offshore extraction with downstream processing at a proposed Critical Mineral Processing Park on India's eastern coast.

Enhances India's critical mineral security for green energy transition and high-tech manufacturing without reliance on foreign imports.

Polymetallic nodule blocks in the Andaman Sea are awarded via Composite Licences under OAMDR Act amendments.

Strategic and economic significance of deep-sea mining for critical mineral self-reliance.

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