Key Points

Representing India at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in southern French city of Nice, Jitendra Singh highlighted progress on the deep ocean mission’s upcoming manned submersible, a nationwide single-use plastic ban, and over $80 billion worth of Blue Economy projects.

"India also backed the swift ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, advocated for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, and launched the SAHAV digital ocean data portal, underscoring its growing leadership in global marine governance,” he said.

Addressing the summit, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica under the theme “Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean”, Jitendra Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.

He outlined how India's initiatives are aimed at reversing ocean degradation through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships.

A key highlight was the progress on the Deep Ocean Mission’s ‘Samudrayaan’ project, which is expected to deploy India’s first manned submersible by 2026.

The project aims to explore ocean depths up to 6,000 metres and is seen as a major leap in India’s scientific capability.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh also spoke of expanding India’s Marine Protected Areas, which now cover 6.6 per cent of the Exclusive Economic Zone, contributing to global biodiversity goals.

On marine pollution, he pointed out to tangible outcomes from the ‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’ campaign, which has cleaned over 1,000 km of India's coastline and removed more than 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste since 2022.

“The draft marine litter policy has been prepared, and India continues to support negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty aimed at a legally binding international framework.”

India’s Blue Economy efforts, led by the Sagarmala Programme and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), were also showcased, he said.

Over 600 port-led infrastructure projects worth $80 billion have been operationalised, and investments of $2.5 billion have gone into modernising the fisheries sector.

“The government reported a 10 per cent rise in fish production and the creation of over 1,000 fish farmer producer organizations since the last UN Ocean Conference in 2022,” he said.

Emphasising climate resilience, Jitendra Singh noted the restoration of over 10,000 hectares of mangroves and the implementation of shoreline management plans using nature-based solutions.

India has also integrated ocean-based climate actions into its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, he said. India's growing role in global ocean governance was evident through its co-leadership in ‘Blue Talks’ with France and Costa Rica, and its active participation in high-level events such as the India-Norway side session on Marine Spatial Planning.

The launch of the ‘SAHAV’ portal during the conference further adds to its credentials in promoting transparent, science-based ocean management.

Calling for a robust ‘Nice Ocean Action Plan’, Jitendra Singh urged the international community to invest in innovation, ratify the BBNJ Agreement, and finalize the plastics treaty.

“The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility,” he said, expressing India’s readiness to work with all stakeholders -- governments, private sector, civil society, and indigenous communities -- to ensure a sustainable ocean future.

The Indian delegation's participation at UNOC3 signals a clear message: India is positioning itself not just as a coastal nation but as a proactive player in shaping global ocean policy.

Hosting the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), France is the world’s capital of Ocean governance for this week, attracting thousands of delegates.

Co-hosted by the governments of Costa Rica and France, the summit elected Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves Robles and French President Emmanuel Macron, as co-presidents.

In his opening remarks, President Macron on Monday stressed the need to revitalise multilateralism, emphasising that “the ocean is not for sale", and underscoring the need for an ambitious plan of action for a healthy, sustainable, and productive ocean.

“What has been lost in a generation can return in a generation,” stressed UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling to move from plunder to protection, exclusion to equity, and short-term exploitation to long-term stewardship of the ocean. During the opening plenary, speakers highlighted, among other things, the need for timely ratification of the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).

Dominica, Greece, Norway, and Romania informed of their recent ratifications, bringing the total number to 33, while others expressed their commitments to do so; the importance of a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining to allow for the effective protection of deep-sea ecosystems, with Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Slovenia joining the relevant call, bringing the total number of countries opposing deep-sea mining to 36; and the fight against plastic pollution, calling for timely finalization of the UN plastics treaty.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

- IANS