India, Oct. 2 -- The government has launched the auction of two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea, seeking to tap deposits of cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements as the country moves to expand domestic supplies of minerals critical to electric mobility, clean-energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.

Keshav Chandra, secretary, ministry of mines, on Thursday virtually launched the auction of Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01 for grant of composite licences.

The two blocks, spread over more than 1,632 sq km, contain polymetallic nodules and crusts that could provide access to a range of strategically important minerals.

Sewell Rise-01 is located in the southern part of Sewell Rise, while West Se...