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India has opened bidding for two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea, offering Composite Licences for exploration and development—not announcing that mining has begun or that commercially recoverable reserves have been proved. The blocks, together covering more than 1,632 square kilometres, are described by the Ministry of Mines as containing polymetallic nodules and crusts with cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements.
What is being auctioned?
The Ministry of Mines announced the auction on 1 October 2026. The offer is for Composite Licences under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, and the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024, as amended. A Composite Licence concerns exploration and development; the auction launch is not evidence of an award, active extraction or production.
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The Ministry says the blocks contain polymetallic nodules and crusts hosting cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements. That list identifies the minerals cited in the announcement, not their concentrations or commercial potential. The official material gives no block-specific grade, tonnage, reserve, recoverability or economic-value estimate.
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Where are the two blocks?
- Sewell Rise-01: in the southern part of Sewell Rise.
- West Sewell Ridge-01: off Great Nicobar Island.
Together, the two blocks cover more than 1,632 square kilometres, according to the Ministry. The announcement does not provide individual area figures for each block.
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What is the bid schedule?
| Milestone | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Document sale begins | 1 October 2026 |
| Pre-bid conference | 4 November 2026 |
| Deadline for queries | 13 November 2026 |
| Last time to purchase tender documents | 21 December 2026, 17:00 IST |
| Bid submission deadline | 28 December 2026, 17:00 IST |
The dates and times are from the published auction calendar. Prospective bidders should check the active tender documents on the MSTC auction platform for the operative schedule and bid instructions.
What does the auction mean for bidders?
The release identifies the licence type and names the governing legislation and auction rules. It does not set out the detailed eligibility criteria, bid-security requirements, evaluation formula or contract terms. Those operational requirements must be checked in the tender documents on MSTC; the announcement alone is not enough to assess whether a particular bidder qualifies or how a bid will be evaluated.
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Why does the government say the blocks matter?
The Ministry points to possible relevance of the named minerals to advanced manufacturing, clean energy, electric mobility, electronics and other applications. This is the government’s strategic rationale for the auction, not evidence that these blocks can supply those industries. Their contribution would depend on exploration results, technical and economic feasibility, and any subsequent development.
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The current sale is separate from India’s first offshore auction tranche, launched in November 2024. That earlier tranche covered 13 blocks across the Arabian Sea and Andaman Sea, including seven Andaman Sea blocks for polymetallic nodules and crusts. The 2026 announcement concerns two newly auctioned blocks and does not report the outcome of the earlier tranche.
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A March 2025 parliamentary answer said the Ministry had consulted the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Department of Fisheries and other related bodies before notifying offshore areas, under the consultation rule cited in that answer. That is general background on the process; it does not establish what environmental review or consultation was conducted for these two specific blocks.
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Official sources
- Ministry of Mines — launch announcement and auction schedule, 1 October 2026.
- MSTC auction platform — tender documents and bidder instructions.
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