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Ocean, polar and earth science missions

Deep sea exploration, seabed minerals and who may mine them, ocean observation, India's Arctic and Antarctic research, and seismology. Prelims has asked about India's Deep Ocean Mission and who licenses exploration of the international seabed.

Foundation notes: UNCLOS: the zones from the coast to the Area · Deep sea minerals

Showing 1 of 4 articles, those that changed from 1 to 30 June 2026.Show all

Seismic monitoring

Prelims and Mains

The National Seismological Network of 172 stations records India's earthquakes.

The Kangra and Chamba belt of Himachal Pradesh lies in the highest seismic hazard zone on the Bureau of Indian Standards map.
A seismic doublet is two quakes of similar magnitude from distinct but closely related ruptures seconds to hours apart, unlike an aftershock, which is driven by the main quake and usually a magnitude or more smaller.
A doublet prolongs strong shaking and hits buildings already weakened by the first shock.

What changed

25 Jun 2026BriefA magnitude 7.2 quake about 160 km west of Caracas was followed 39 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 mainshock on 24 June, which the United States Geological Survey called a seismic doublet. Mains: The Bureau of Indian Standards shelved a revision that found Himalayan seismic hazard badly underestimated, nearly doubled design forces and added a sixth zone. The Indian Express, 25 Jun 2026: Tens of thousands feared dead in Venezuela: Why doublet earthquakes were so destructive (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 25 Jun 2026: Venezuela's deadly history of earthquakes — and how they affected its politics (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 27 Jun 2026: Tragic evening: On the earthquake in Venezuela (opens in a new tab)

Also filed elsewhere

National report on deep-sea fishery resources · on Marine and coastal ecosystems
The national report on deep sea fishery resources is the Ministry of Earth Sciences' account of the fish in India's deep water, below the reach of light.
The UN declaration on sea level rise and statehood · on Cryosphere, oceans and sea level
The United Nations General Assembly's declaration on sea level rise affirms that a State remains a State even if the sea takes its land, and that its maritime boundaries stay where they were fixed.