The Union ministry of mines on Tuesday invited prospective bidders to explore two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea, spanning a combined area of 1,632 square kilometres, as part of efforts to strengthen India’s access to critical minerals used in manufacturing, clean energy and emerging technologies.
At an outreach programme in New Delhi, the ministry officials briefed stakeholders on the geological potential of the blocks, the auction procedures, the regulatory requirements, and the financial assistance available for exploration. Ministry of mines Secretary Keshav Chandra underscored the importance of strengthening domestic mineral supply chains to support economic growth, technological advancement, the energy transition and manufacturing competitiveness. The ministry issued the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) on October 1 to grant operating rights for the Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01 blocks under a composite licence.
Additional secretary Veena Kumari Dermal said the government had undertaken policy reforms to facilitate transparent and responsible development of offshore mineral resources. “Taking stakeholder feedback into account, the ministry has revised block configurations, including increasing the area of polymetallic nodule and crust blocks to provide greater operational flexibility for exploration,” she said. “These will be finalised shortly,” she said. The government said systematic exploration would be essential to establish the blocks’ mineral potential and assess their prospects for future development.
