India marks turf in secretive undersea treasure hunt

In Delhi, discussions currently on between oceanographers and diplomats, from the new Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of External Affairs, mark the last stages of an exercise that began in 2002 with secretive ocean experiments that will eventually allow India to lay claim to vast undersea reserves of oil and minerals..

India is guarding the exact figure of extended continental shelf it will claim — neighbouring nations too are preparing claims — to extend undersea landholdings and explore what an official called “the final frontier” of vast oil and energy reserves unclaimed under the seabed.

“At present production, India’s oil and gas reserves will last 30 years,” said V.K. Sibal, director-general for hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum, Delhi. “Extending the continental shelf will help India find resources for sustainable development.”

Hindustan Times