India is participating in the 40-day expedition in association with the National Institute of Water and  Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand, as a permanent member of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to assess the diversity and distribution of the living resources in the Ross Sea area

• The Ross Sea is located in the Southern Ocean, near the South Pole.
• It covers approximately 1.55 million square kilometers.
• It is the largest polar marine ecosystem in the world.
• The sea is home to many penguins, whales, and other marine species.
• The Ross Sea is relatively shallow and is mostly covered by the Ross Ice Shelf.
• The Ross Sea is the first protected area in Antarctica, helping to preserve its unique ecosystem.