New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced India's next major leap in ocean exploration with the unveiling of Matsya 6000, the country's "first indigenously developed human deep-sea submersible".

Showcased by the Ministry of Earth Sciences at IISF 2025, the mission aims to send Indian researchers to extreme ocean depths.

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Sharing the update on X on Tuesday, Singh wrote, "Here is India's ambitious plan to send one human deep-sea submersible, providentially around the same time when preparations are in the final stage to send a human into Space. Meet Matsya6000, India's first indigenously developed human deep-sea submersible, showcased by the Ministry of Earth Sciences MoES at IISF2025."

Highlighting the ambitious timeline, Singh said that the submersible is targeting its first 500-metre manned dive in 2026, followed by a full-depth 6,000-metre mission in 2027. Once achieved, India will join the few nations with ultra-deep-sea exploration capability.

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"With a target for its first 500 m manned dive by 2026 and 6000 m by 2027, Matsya 6000 will put India among the few nations with ultra-deep-sea exploration capability," Singh's X post further read.

https://x.com/DrJitendraSingh/status/1998417055486554510

Meanwhile, the IISF 2025 event recorded an impressive attendance of over 200,000 participants, comprising 1,800 students, 167 educators, and 32 resource individuals. This participation spanned several key activities, including the Hackathon, Gurukula, Science and Technology Village, Nari Shakti, Youth Science Congress, and the Thought Leaders' Roundtable.

According to the release, specialised tracks such as New Age Technology, Blue Economy, Himalaya in Changing Climate, and Clean & Nuclear Energy also witnessed high engagement. The curtain-raiser alone saw more than 1,600 delegates, surpassing previous records.

On the occasion of the Closing and Valedictory Ceremony of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025, Panchkula, Haryana, Governor of Haryana Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh, along with First Lady Mitra Ghosh, graced the event as the Chief Guest.D Senthil Pandiyan, IAS, Joint Secretary, MoES; Suryachandra A Rao, Director, IITM; Shiv Kumar Sharma, National Organising Secretary, VIBHA; and other dignitaries were also present.

Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh said that IISF 2025 has powerfully demonstrated India's scientific strength and rising leadership in research and innovation. He noted that the festival reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to build a Viksit Bharat driven by science and technology. (ANI)

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