THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
NEW
DELHI, JANUARY 18, 2026
India took a
decisive leap towards harnessing the vast economic potential of its oceans as
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth
Sciences and multiple key portfolios, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Sunday launched the country’s
first-ever open-sea Marine Fish Farming project from the Andaman Sea. The
landmark initiative was unveiled on-site at North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram,
marking a historic moment for India’s Blue Economy ambitions.
Describing the
launch as a pioneering step towards unlocking ocean-based growth, Dr Jitendra
Singh said the project aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of
leveraging India’s maritime strength for sustainable economic development. He
noted that India’s oceans, much like its land and Himalayan resources, hold
immense but long-neglected economic value, and this initiative signals a shift
in national priorities towards the maritime domain.
The Minister
underlined that for nearly seven decades after Independence, India’s ocean
resources remained largely unexplored. Since 2014, however, there has been a
fundamental change in perspective, recognising that the country’s vast and
diverse maritime zones offer enormous opportunities for growth. He highlighted
that India’s western, southern and eastern seaboards are distinct in nature,
each contributing uniquely to the nation’s development potential.
The open-sea
marine fish farming project is being implemented through a collaborative effort
involving the Ministry of Earth Sciences, its technical arm the National
Institute of Ocean Technology, and the Union Territory Administration of
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As a pilot initiative, it focuses on cultivating
marine finfish and seaweed in natural oceanic conditions, blending cutting-edge
scientific innovation with livelihood generation for coastal communities.
During his
field visit, Dr Jitendra Singh also initiated two major livelihood-oriented
interventions. Under the marine flora component, seaweed seeds were handed over
to local fishing communities to promote deep-water seaweed cultivation in the
open sea. Simultaneously, under the marine fauna component, finfish seeds were
provided for cage-based farming using NIOT-developed open-sea cages engineered
to operate effectively in natural ocean environments.
The Minister
said that while the current phase is being driven through government-led
collaboration, the experience and feasibility outcomes from the pilot could
pave the way for scaling up through public–private partnership models. Such an
approach, he noted, would accelerate deployment, expand income opportunities
for coastal populations and strengthen the overall Blue Economy ecosystem.
As part of his
visit to the Andaman Islands, Dr Jitendra Singh also toured the Mahatma Gandhi
Marine National Park near Wandoor, one of India’s earliest marine parks
established in 1983. Spread across 15 islands and known for protected
destinations such as Jolly Buoy and Red Skin, the park showcases a thriving
marine ecosystem with coral reefs, mangroves, turtles and diverse fish species.
The Minister observed the park’s self-sustaining biodiversity, underscoring the
need to balance conservation with sustainable economic activity.
The launch at
North Bay reflects the Government of India’s commitment to taking science and
technology directly to the field, ensuring that coastal and island communities
become active stakeholders in the nation’s ocean-led growth journey and
positioning India firmly on course towards a resilient and inclusive Blue
Economy.
