The GSI's marine and coastal survey division, based at Mangaluru, has mapped most of India's 2.1 million square kilometre of 'exclusive economic zone' and has a vast repository of offshore data.

New Delhi: The Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for sharing seabed sediments data, products and expertise regarding naval application in meteorology and oceanography, according to an official statement.

The GSI's marine and coastal survey division, based at Mangalore, has mapped most of India's 2.1 million square kilometre of "exclusive economic zone" and has a vast repository of offshore data, it said.

"This data collected using GSI's state-of-the-art oceanic research vessels....will now be used by the Indian Navy's rapidly growing blue water fleet for reliable and accurate oceanographic modelling to support their expansive maritime operations in the Indian Ocean region," said the statement.

The MoU was signed on Tuesday between Commodore AA Abhyankar, who heads the Indian Navy's Oceanology and Meteorology Directorate and N Maran, Deputy Director General of GSI.