India’s National Policy on the Blue Economy has been in the making since 2021, when a draft policy was launched. Since then, the government has made periodic claims of nearing the promulgation of a final policy. A host of factors, including bureaucratic inertia, the lack of multi-stakeholder engagement, and climate concerns, have been cited as reason for the delay.
India’s blue economy – the sustainable use of ocean resources toward economic ends – provides livelihoods to millions. However, despite having an extensive coastline of 7,516 kilometers and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending over 2.2 million square kilometers, it contributes only 4 percent to the nation’s GDP and generates just $28 billion annually. The government intends to transform India’s blue economy, envisaging the “optimal utilization of all sectors of the maritime domain, (living, non-living resources, tourism, ocean energy, etc.) for sustainable development of coastal areas.” The draft policy considers the blue economy a subset of India’s national economy and vital for the country’s march toward becoming a developed country by 2047. According to estimates, the country needs to grow at 8-9 percent for the next 20 years to achieve this objective. The blue economy, arguably, has to be a vital component of such growth.
While conceptually, the future is promising with the implementation of a sound policy, the pathway to “optimal utilization” of resources while maintaining sustainability remains painfully long and rocky. The government’s lackadaisical attitude, as well as the challenges posed by climate change and the near absence of an inclusive dialogue, are bound to make the journey tougher. Worse still, in the absence of oversight, the policy might end up providing a free license for unbridled exploitation of resources with scant attention to sustainability.
India’s ports and shipping industry, which has a crucial role in its blue economy, is an example. Modern ports, especially on the western coast, are crucial for ambitious connectivity and economic projects such as the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the International North-South Trade Corridor (INSTC).
India has 12 “major” and 200 “non-major” ports. In addition, it is developing 14 new ports. In recent years, modernization of existing ports has been a priority area for the government. This has brought in several private players who operate under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Although this has provided much-needed dynamism for the operationalization of ports and each of these PPP agreements is governed by regulations, concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the projects on environment and marine life conservation, which is an essential part of the blue economy.
For instance, the port project in Karnataka’s Honnavar has been fiercely opposed by fishermen and environmental activists. The beach on which the port is proposed to be constructed is a designated turtle nesting area. The Adani port in Gujarat’s Mundra has faced environmental concerns stemming from mangrove destruction and creek blockage.
While developing new ports and modernizing the existing ones are long-term projects, India seems to be lagging also in fulfilling its official goal of “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” (Clean Ocean, Secure Ocean). In July 2022, India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) launched a 75-day coastal clean-up campaign targeting 75 beaches along the coastal districts. It resulted in the collection of 1,500 tons of garbage and waste. In 2023, the campaign was reduced to 35 beaches, resulting in the recovery of 352 tons of debris. In 2024, the campaign was held in 80 “locations” and removed only 60 tons of waste.
India is the world’s second-largest fish producer. However, climate change has started taking a toll on the optimal utilization of marine resources. In the past decade, the rise in ocean temperatures led to a 75 percent decline in Kerala’s catches of oil sardines in 2021. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, fish catches have declined by 75 percent over 15 years due to rising sea temperatures and altered salinity levels. Rising ocean temperatures and El Niño in 2024 have driven extensive bleaching, particularly in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The impact could be profound on India’s coastal economy, which sustains over 4 million fishermen and the rising coastal tourism sector.
As the Indian government finalizes its blue economy policy, there is a clear case for open, inclusive, and transparent dialogue with all stakeholders – and that includes women, who constitute nearly half of India’s marine fisheries workforce. The draft policy aims to significantly boost the contribution of marine resources to the country’s GDP, and at the same time improve the lives of coastal communities, generate millions of jobs, and preserve marine biodiversity. Reports suggest these goals are unlikely to be fulfilled unless the policy addresses the limited prioritization of women’s employment in the blue economy framework. A comprehensive approach that integrates the blue economy with climate action through multi-stakeholder engagement could go a long way in providing the agency to address the structural constraints and actualizing a long term policy of balancing growth with sustainable development.
