21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Ministry of Earth Sciences underscores critical role of India's vast marine resources
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has launched a white paper titled "Transforming India's Blue Economy: Investment, Innovation and Sustainable Growth" in collaboration with its strategic knowledge partner. As the nodal agency for the implementation of the Blue Economy in India, MoES, has been actively working towards enhancing the visibility and effective implementation of blue economy initiatives across the nation. This white paper builds upon these efforts by providing a consolidated framework that aligns government actions, fosters cross-sectoral synergies, and promotes greater investment to unlock the vast potential of India's ocean resources for sustainable and economic development.
The report underscores the critical role of India's vast marine resources, including its extensive coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone, as a vital engine for national progress. It highlights the collaborative efforts of 25 ministries, alongside coastal state and union territory initiatives, in driving sustainable growth across various ocean-related sectors. The report builds upon India's G20 Presidency commitments and the Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue Economy, further solidifying its importance within the Viksit Bharat vision for 2047.
While acknowledging significant sectoral progress, the white paper emphasises the need for a unified and coordinated approach to overcome existing challenges. It identifies key impediments to growth, limited data sharing, low private investment, and technology gaps, particularly in emerging areas like offshore wind and deep-sea exploration. It highlights pragmatic interventions and highlights scalable and replicable models from across India, including women-led seaweed farming, smart port development, and green ship recycling, demonstrating the potential for achieving both economic growth and environmental sustainability.
