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International Ocean Discovery Programme

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">DGH have informed MoPNG regarding the International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP),a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between National Science Foundation (NSF), USA and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India. </span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">IODP is a strategy envisaged by the international community of ocean drilling scientists devised for investigating the Earth system. The IODP Science Plan organizes scientific study on major Earth processes, encouraging specialists to broaden their proposals to include cooperative work with colleagues in related disciplines. Using the new multiple-platform approach to scientific ocean drilling and a new process-oriented approach to research, IODP, in its Initial Scientific Plan will focus on three broad scientific themes:</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The deep biosphere and the subseafloor ocean</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Solid earth cycles and geodynamics&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Environmental change, processes and effect</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">India joined IODP consortium (2003-2013) in 2009, as an Associate Member through an MoU signed by Ministry of Earth Sciences with the National Science Foundation (NSA),USA. As per the IODP plan, the Indian Proposal for Scientific Drilling in the Arabian sea is an approved component of the XIIth plan activities of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) with the drilling proposed to be carried out in 2015. </span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Indian scientists and researchers, through the IODP Consortium, would have exclusive access to the drilling vessel to obtain long marine sediment cores from the ocean floor to understand the past history of the planet Earth. IODP does give our national scientists an opportunity to collaborate with the International fraternity on the basis of common interest in the R&amp;D field. </span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">It is therefore proposed to continue the MoU with International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) with National Science Foundation (NSF), USA for a ten year period commencing 2013 as proposed by MoES. To make the best use of the associate membership, it is imperative that the information obtained during the course of various activities/expeditions undertaken by IODP should be shared with DGH and proper representation of MoPNG should be there in any discussion making procedure / forum.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">In addition to the above, the possibility of including a project to be undertaken by IODP for exploring the presence of gas hydrates in the Andaman deep water area may also be emphasized should the membership be extended.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source:SNP Infra Research</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>