Curious case of dip, rise in Indian seas

Scientists say such a ‘decadal swing’ in North Indian Ocean is unique and never observed in others

Global warming may be inching the oceans higher every year but researchers studying the seas around India report a paradox. From 1993 to 2003 — the first decade when satellites started to consistently track the rise and fall of ocean heights and global temperatures soared — the North Indian Ocean (NIO) sea levels fell. The NIO consists of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and part of the Indian Ocean up till the 5°S latitude. After 2004, sea levels began an unprecedented, accelerated spike till 2014.