The blue economy encompasses the sustainable use of ocean resources for growth, job creation, and environmental sustainability. It offers a vast array of resources that have immense potential for various industries, including food, medicine, fresh water, minerals, and renewable energy. India, with its vast coastline and strategic location in the Indian Ocean, is poised to harness the potential of the blue economy and unlock a sea of opportunities. However, to realise the potential of our oceans in a sustainable way, we must embrace technology, enhance our understanding of the ocean and address climate change.
In the Indian Ocean, India has been allocated areas rich in rare metals, such as hydrothermal sulphide vents in the mid-ocean ridge area and poly-metallic nodules in the central Indian Ocean, by the International Seabed Authority. By utilising advanced technology, we can strike a balance between a sustainable future for both our economy and the ocean.
The ocean also offers numerous renewable energy sources, including tidal energy, offshore wind energy, wave energy, ocean current energy, ocean thermal energy, and salinity gradient energy. To fully harness these, it is crucial to map their availability spatially and temporally, usability, economic feasibility within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
One of the most pressing issues related to the ocean is climate change, with its impacts being felt most strongly in polar regions such as the Arctic, Antarctic, and the Himalayas. The Arctic is warming at an alarming rate, four times faster than the global mean. The Indian Ocean is especially vulnerable due to its landlocked nature and high thermal expansion. To effectively manage these challenges, it is crucial to monitor ocean dynamics with floats, buoys, and remote sensing technologies. This allows us to predict future sea-level rise along the Indian coastline, providing insights for coastal mapping.
India’s vast coastline provides an opportunity to produce clean drinking water sustainably. Low-temperature thermal gradients can be harnessed in environmentally friendly desalination plants, which not only produce fresh water but also generate clean electricity.It is also imperative to build a strong workforce dedicated to the study of ocean biology, particularly in the field of blue biotechnology. This specialised knowledge can help extract valuable drugs, chemicals, and nutraceuticals. It is important to place emphasis on infrastructure and training to nurture young minds and foster exploration in this emerging field. Additionally, the establishment of a dedicated research vessel, made in India, will facilitate various studies encompassing all aspects of the Indian Ocean.PM Narendra Modi’s government has taken proactive steps to safeguard its oceans and coasts. The government has launched a mission-mode project called the Deep Ocean Mission. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, this initiative brings together various line ministries, research institutions, and academia to tackle the multifaceted opportunities and issues plaguing the oceans.
With the implementation of the Deep Ocean Mission, the government endeavours to harness the boundless potential of the ocean and fortify India’s blue economy. This ambitious initiative, aligned with the visionary agenda of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, aims to elevate the contribution of the blue economy from single-digit figures to double-digit growth in our nation’s GDP. Also, United Nation announced the decade (2021 to 2030) as the “UN decade of Ocean Science for sustainable development” seeks knowledge of Ocean, essentially to drive “the Science we need for the ocean we want”. India’s contribute to this endeavour in collaboration with various International agencies.
Ministry of Earth Sciences is dedicated to spearheading the triumph of the Deep Ocean Mission by collaborating with experts, stakeholders, and international partners.
Together, let us embark on this transformative journey to secure the future of our oceans, safeguard the well-being of coastal communities, and secure a prosperous future for our nation. By protecting and harnessing the power of our oceans, we can create a harmonious co-existence between humanity and the deep blue, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.
(Kiren Rijiju is the Minister of Earth Sciences)