Union Minister Jitendra Singh painted an optimistic picture of India’s maritime future, where marine science and biotechnology converge to supercharge the economy, spawn employment opportunities, and fortify environmental health.
At the forefront is a ₹10,000 crore investment plan over five years, targeting high-value sectors like marine-derived drugs, biofuels, and sustainable fisheries. Singh underscored the sector’s multiplier effect: every rupee invested yields ₹7 in economic returns.
Breakdown of initiatives revealed focus areas such as sponge-derived anticancer compounds and enzyme-based wastewater treatment. The minister spotlighted the Sagarmala Project’s biotech integration, enhancing port-led development across 14 coastal states.
Job projections are bold: 20 lakh positions in the primary sector, plus ancillary industries employing another 8 million. Vocational training in submersible operations, genetic sequencing, and eco-tourism will upskill the workforce.
On the green front, Singh announced nationwide deployment of ocean health dashboards tracking biodiversity in real-time. Efforts to cultivate spirulina and seaweed for food security will reduce import dependence while absorbing CO2 at scale.
He drew parallels with Norway’s aquaculture model and Japan’s deep-sea tech, adapting them for Indian contexts. Collaborative ventures with ISRO for ocean color monitoring and DRDO for underwater drones exemplify the tech fusion.
Challenges like monsoon disruptions and geopolitical tensions in the Indian Ocean were acknowledged, with countermeasures including fortified coastal defenses and diplomatic ocean diplomacy.
Singh’s vision aligns with PM Modi’s Sagarmala and Blue Revolution schemes, positioning India as the world’s third-largest marine economy by decade’s end. ‘Our oceans hold the key to Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ he proclaimed, signaling a deep commitment to oceanic frontiers.