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Blue Economy (UPSC-RAS)

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DEFINITION

  • Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health — while preserving oceans for future generations.
  • Concept of Blue Carbon: coastal ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses) as carbon sinks — key climate mitigation tool.

India's Ocean Asset Base

Parameter

  1. Coastline :- 7,517 km.
  2. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 2.2 million km².
  3. Deep sea mining area (ISA allocated) 75,000 km² in Central Indian Ocean Basin
  4. Coastal states + UTs13 states + 4 UTsMaritime trade share. 95% of India's trade by volumeContribution to GDP  4% (fisheries + shipping + tourism).

Sectors of Blue Economy

  1. Fisheries & Aquaculture ·
  2. Shipping & Maritime Transport · Port-led Development ·
  3.  Deep Sea Mining · Offshore Energy (OTEC, Wind) ·
  4. Marine Biotechnology ·
  5.  Coastal Tourism · Desalination · Marine Spatial Planning ·
  6.  Coastal Ecosystem Services (Blue Carbon)

Key Government Initiatives

1. Blue Economy Policy (Draft) — Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)

  • Blue Economy identified as the 6th dimension of Vision for New India by 2030 .

2. Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)

  • Lead agency: MoES
  • Aims to explore deep-sea living and non-living resources to support the blue economy and for sustainable harnessing of ocean resources .

3. Samudrayaan Project (under DOM)

  • Develops Matsya 6000 — India's first manned submersible; carries 3 persons to 6,000 m depth; operates for 12 hours (extendable to 96 hrs in emergency) .
  • Developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai

4. Sagarmala Programme (2015)

  • Port modernisation , connectivity , port-led industrialisation
  • Average vessel turnaround time cut from 93 hours to 48 hours; coastal shipping nearly doubled to 165 million tonnes .

5. Blue Economy 2.0 (Interim Budget 2024)

  • Focused on coastal restoration, adaptation, and sustainable aquaculture; aims to promote climate resilience and sustainable development in coastal areas .

6. PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

  • Largest ever scheme for fisheries sector (₹20,050 crore); under Aatmanirbhar Bharat package; promotes Blue Growth Initiative.

7. Blue Economy Cell

  • Set up by MoES to coordinate research, policy formulation, and implementation of Blue Economy initiatives.

International Dimensions

  1. UNCLOS: Legal framework for EEZ, continental shelf, and deep sea mining rights.
  2. ISA (International Seabed Authority): India has been allocated a 75,000 km² site in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for the exploration of polymetallic nodules rich in manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper.
  3. UN Ocean Decade (2021–2030): Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development — India's DOM aligns with this.
  4. SAGAR Doctrine: PM Modi's vision — Security and Growth for All in the Region; Blue Economy central to India's Indian Ocean strategy.
  5. COP30 (Belém) launched the One Ocean Partnership committing to mobilise $20 billion by 2030, integrating oceans into mainstream climate finance.

Significance-

  1. Economic: Port trade (95% of India's trade by volume), fisheries (4 crore+ livelihoods), offshore energy, marine tourism.
  2. Strategic Minerals: Polymetallic nodules, hydrothermal sulphides, and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts at depths exceeding 5,000 m — reducing import dependence for battery and alloy production.
  3. Environmental: Blue carbon sinks (mangroves, seagrasses); coastal protection; biodiversity conservation.
  4. Energy: OTEC, offshore wind — contribute to renewable energy targets.
  5. Geostrategic: Maritime domain awareness; countering China's expanding maritime footprint in Indian Ocean.

Challenges

  1. IUU Fishing (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated) — threatens marine biodiversity and fisher livelihoods.
  2. Climate change — ocean acidification, coral bleaching, rising sea levels.
  3. Regulatory gaps and jurisdictional overlaps across multiple ministries.
  4. Marine pollution — plastic waste, oil spills, industrial effluents.
  5. Lack of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).
  6. High upfront cost of deep-sea technology development.