India is in a race to secure exploration rights for a cobalt-rich underwater mountain in the Indian Ocean amid fears of China’s dominance in the global cobalt supply chain. The Afanasy Nikitin Seamount, located east of the Maldives, has caught India’s attention for its potential in the green energy transition.
However, India’s bid has hit a roadblock as the International Seabed Authority found competing claims on the seamount by another country believed to be Sri Lanka. The dispute over territorial boundaries has put India’s application on hold, pending a response to the conflicting claims.
Analysts suggest that India’s move is driven not just by exploration interests but also by a strategic need to counter Chinese presence in the region. With India’s ambitions in deep-sea mining on the rise, securing access to critical minerals like cobalt becomes paramount for its clean energy goals.
As countries vie for control over valuable marine resources, the outcome of these territorial disputes could shape the future of energy security and geopolitics in the Indian Ocean region.