India has done a soft launch of its third research station in Antarctica's Larsemann Hills region, considered as one of the few geological windows into the history of the continent. Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, told PTI that the construction is over and it is being run on trial basis.

The winter team is there carrying out tests on various equipment and systems. The formal launch of the research station, Bharti is expected in November when it is summer time in the icy continent.

The leader of the 15-member team Mr. Rajesh Asthana said, the research station would address the growing urge in the Indian scientific community for exploring deeper and wider areas of Antarctica for better understanding of the vast continent.