India calls for urgent global action to protect ocean, commits to early ratification of High Seas Treaty | India News

Image used for representative image NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday called for urgent global action on ocean health at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, with Union minister of earth sciences Jitendra Singh urging the international community to invest in innovation, ratify the ‘High Seas Treaty’, and finalise a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution.“The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility,” said Singh, expressing India’s readiness to work with all stakeholders – govts, the private sector, civil society, and indigenous communities – to ensure a sustainable ocean future. He was delivering the country’s statement at the conference. One of the core objectives of the five-day conference, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, is to help bring into force the landmark ‘High Seas Treaty’ – Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement – adopted in 2023 to safeguard life in international waters through long-term protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas. Once ratified by 60 countries, it will become law of the sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Fifty members (49 countries and the EU) have already submitted their ratifications, while 15 others, including India, committed to doing it soon, paving the way for its coming into force in the next four months. Singh, while addressing the conference, also highlighted the multiple measures being taken by India in sync with its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water, and outlined how the country’s initiatives are aimed at reversing ocean degradation through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships. He shared the progress made on India’s Deep Ocean Mission and its ‘Samudrayaan’ project, which is expected to deploy the country’s first manned submersible by 2026. The project aims to explore ocean depths up to 6,000 meters and is seen as a major leap in India’s scientific capability. A nationwide ban on single-use plastic items of high littering potential, implementation of over $80 billion worth of ‘Blue Economy’ projects, supporting a legally binding global plastics treaty, and the launch of the ‘SAHAV’ digital ocean data portal are some of the initiatives which found prominence in the minister’s speech at the global forum. The SAHAV portal – a GIS-based decision support system – works as a tool to empower policymakers, researchers, and communities with real-time spatial data, enabling smarter planning and stronger marine resilience. Singh also spoke of expanding India’s marine protected areas, which now cover 6.6% of the Exclusive Economic Zone, contributing to global biodiversity goals. He underlined that India has integrated ocean-based climate actions into its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.