India to set up new permanent research base in Antarctica

Giving a major boost to India's scientific endeavour in Antarctica, the government has decided to establish a permanent research base at Larsemann Hills region there.

The base will be set up during the 11th five-year plan period at a cost of Rs287 crore, the decision of which was approved by the cabinet committee on economic affairs today.

The facilities available at this research base will include a weather observatory, geomagnetic station, a permanent seismological observatory, GPS station and ice-core drilling facilities, among others.

The decision comes after the total submergence of India's first research base 'Dakshin Gangotri' following which all scientific activities were managed from the country's second research station 'Maitri'.