NEW DELHI, Jan 17: The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands would be developed as a hub of India’s Blue Economy.
Mr Singh said India’s future economic value addition would increasingly come from untapped marine resources as the country moves rapidly towards becoming one of the world’s top economies.
He highlighted the government’s strong focus on blue economy reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that India cannot develop in isolation by focusing only on the mainland while leaving behind island territories and coastal regions.
Addressing scientists and officials while on a visit to Atal Centre for Ocean Science and Technology for Islands (ACOSTI) to launch and review key marine technology initiatives aimed at strengthening the blue economy and livelihoods in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he said the deep ocean mission would play a decisive role in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, as vast marine resources remain largely underexplored despite the country’s long coastline.
Mr Singh recalled that Mr Modi had announced the Deep Ocean Mission from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day in both 2023 and 2024, underlining its strategic importance. “The blue economy may not be visible to people in the northern parts of the country, but it makes one of the largest contributions to the national economy,” the minister said.
The blue economy is the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs, while also preserving marine ecosystem health. Mr Singh said India, which has rapidly climbed global economic rankings, must now focus on value addition from resources that have not been fully explored. “To move from the fourth-largest economy to the top, we must tap areas like the deep sea and marine biodiversity,” he said.
During the visit, he reviewed and announced initiatives, including open sea cage culture demonstrations for marine fishermen and seaweed cultivation, aimed at boosting livelihoods and promoting sustainable marine practices. He said technology transfer for these projects has already been completed.
“Every citizen, industry and institution has a role in nation-building,” the minister said. Highlighting the role of biotechnology in blue economy, Mr Singh said India’s dedicated biotechnology policy, Bio-E3 – Biotechnology for economy, environment and employment, supports innovations such as biodegradable alternatives to plastic derived from marine resources.
The Union Minister said Andaman and Nicobar Islands offer unique marine species and ecological conditions that cannot be replicated elsewhere, making the region ideal for advanced marine research. He also announced the launch of a coral fish development project, aimed at both domestic consumption and export markets.
The minister noted growing global demand for non-animal food products, marine-based nutraceuticals and medicines, particularly in Europe, and said India could offer a diversified export basket by leveraging its marine biodiversity. “Many high-potency medicinal compounds used in cancer and other treatments can be produced more cost-effectively from marine plants,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)