A regional scale bathymetric map has been constructed for the 79¿E fracture zone (FZ) in the Central Indian Basin between 10¿15'S and 14¿45'S latitudes and 78¿55'E and 79¿20'E longitudes using the high-resolution capabilities of the Hydrosweep multibeam swath bathymetric survey system. the bathymetric map clearly reveals the 79¿E FZ, depicting a ridge and trough topography with an elevation difference of over 300 m. Prominent E-W bathymetric lineations and several new features such as seamounts are conspicuous on the map. The E-W bathymetric lineations bend at the fracture zone toward south resulting in oblique extensional features. These features are more prominent in the middle and northern portion of the study area and are less significant in the southern portion. The prominence of these features in the north and their subtle presence in the south are probably related to the strong and weak shear coupling in the RTI, respectively, during the various stages of FZ evolution. Gravity and magnetic data were analyzed together with the bathymetric data. The observed free-air gravity across the 79¿E FZ is modeled in terms of the lithospheric thickness, taking into consideration the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. A lithosphere thickness of about 100 km is inferred from these studies. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1993