• The Indian Ocean is increasingly recognized as the "cradle of a new blue economy," serving as a critical global laboratory where sustainable economic development, climate resilience, and maritime security intersect. Home to one-third of humanity and vital sea lanes, the region is shifting from traditional resource extraction toward a model of ecosystem stewardship.

India’s Historical Leadership in Ocean Governance

• Championing “Common Heritage of Mankind”: India aligned with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during UNCLOS, advocating that seabed resources beyond national jurisdiction be treated as a global common, strengthening its moral leadership.
• Early Vision of Maritime Centrality: Nehru asserted that India’s future prosperity and security are tied to ocean freedom and resources, embedding oceans into India’s strategic imagination from the 1950s.
• Environmental Justice at Global Forums: Indira Gandhi’s Stockholm (1972) stance on balancing poverty eradication with environmental protection positioned India as a credible advocate of equitable ocean governance.
• Consistent Support for Multilateral Ocean Regimes: India’s engagement in IORA, IONS, and Indian Ocean Commission reflects a long-standing commitment to cooperative maritime governance instead of great-power rivalry.
• Leadership in Sustainable Use Norms: India has consistently supported biodiversity protection, including readiness to ratify the BBNJ Agreement, reinforcing its reputation as a responsible ocean steward.

Emerging Challenges in the Indian Ocean

• Intensifying Climate Vulnerability: The Indian Ocean is warming faster than the global average, driving thermal expansion, sea-level rise, and more frequent extreme cyclones impacting coastal populations.
• Ocean Acidification & Coral Collapse: Rising CO₂ levels are degrading coral reefs such as the Lakshadweep and Chagos systems, undermining biodiversity, fisheries productivity, and tourism incomes.
• Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: IUU fleets deplete fish stocks, harm artisanal livelihoods, and fuel regional tensions, particularly near East Africa and the Bay of Bengal.
• Declining Marine Productivity: Overfishing and altered monsoon patterns reduce nutrient upwelling, weakening the marine food chain and posing food-security risks for littoral nations.
• Socio-Economic Instability: Ecosystem decline triggers migration, loss of coastal employment, and community vulnerability, creating a security challenge beyond traditional naval threats.

Rationale for a Blue Ocean Strategy for India

Stewardship of the Commons:

• Promote Cooperative Ocean Governance: Position the Indian Ocean as a shared space through rules-based management, biodiversity protection, and joint marine scientific research.
• Restore Degraded Ecosystems: Lead regional coral-restoration, mangrove recovery, and sustainable fisheries initiatives to rebuild ecological resilience.
• Strengthen Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Support expansion of MPAs—including high-seas areas under BBNJ—to safeguard critical habitats and spawning grounds.

Climate and Disaster Resilience:

• Regional Resilience & Innovation Hub: India can host a hub integrating ocean observation, modelling, and technology transfer for SIDS and African nations to strengthen early-warning capacities.
• Enhance Ocean Observation Infrastructure: Scale up INCOIS, MoES, and satellite systems for better cyclone prediction, monsoon modelling, and tsunami risk tracking.
• Build Climate-Ready Coastal Infrastructure: Support nature-based solutions—mangrove belts, dune restoration, artificial reefs—to protect vulnerable coasts from storm surges.

Inclusive Blue Growth:

• Green Shipping Corridors: Develop low-emission maritime routes with major ports, reducing freight emissions and aligning with IMO decarbonisation goals.
• Offshore Renewable Energy Expansion: Leverage India’s vast EEZ for offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy projects, enabling clean growth for coastal states.
• Sustainable Aquaculture Systems: Promote mariculture, seaweed farming, and hatchery upgrades to boost rural incomes while reducing pressure on wild stocks.

Global Momentum for Ocean Finance:

• Rising Global Commitments for Ocean Action: New international pledges indicate a rapid shift in global priorities, with countries and institutions recognising oceans as critical to climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development.
• €25 Billion Existing Ocean Investments + €8.7 Billion New Pledges (BEFF 2025): At the Blue Economy & Finance Forum 2025, governments, development banks, and private investors showcased a €25 billion pipeline of ongoing ocean projects and announced €8.7 billion fresh commitments, signalling confidence in blue-economy returns.
• $20 Billion Ocean Finance Target Under the One Ocean Partnership (COP30, Belém): COP30 launched the One Ocean Partnership committing to mobilise $20 billion by 2030, integrating oceans into mainstream climate finance and supporting conservation, resilience, and sustainable blue-economy pathways.

Way Ahead

• Establish an Indian Ocean Blue Fund: Create a financing mechanism seeded by India and open to global partners to convert pledges into implementable regional projects.
• Operationalise “Security Through Sustainability”: Integrate anti-IUU patrols, coral monitoring, and pollution tracking with maritime domain awareness to align ecology with security.
• Lead Ocean Norm-Setting Platforms: Use IORA, IOC-UNESCO, and G20 forums to standardise practices on green shipping, blue bonds, and responsible marine resource extraction.
• Accelerate BBNJ Ratification & Implementation: Demonstrate leadership in high-seas biodiversity governance by championing MPAs, ABS mechanisms, and marine technology sharing.
• Promote Science-Diplomacy Networks: Strengthen collaboration among INCOIS, CSIR-NIO, WHOI, and regional institutes to jointly advance ocean science, modelling, and innovation.

Conclusion

• The Indian Ocean—home to ancient civilizations and modern vulnerabilities—can become the cradle of a new blue economy that blends prosperity with sustainability. By aligning vision with finance and stewardship, India can show that cooperation, not rivalry, must define the future of ocean governance, living up to the principle: “From the Indian Ocean, for the World.”