The webinar, “Diving into India’s Blue Economy: Significance for Coastal Region” is being organised by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in collaboration with the Asia Foundation, Delhi, as part of the Indian Coastal Think Tank Network project.
‘Blue Economy’ as a term does not have a widely accepted definition. It has different meanings in various contexts, but as a reference point, a common definition is that the blue economy refers to sustainable use of the oceans and marine resources for economic growth, improved livelihood and the preservation of ocean ecosystems. This concept is very crucial to India’s coastal region, as its coastline stretches over 7500 kilometres and is very significant to the nation’s economic, social and environmental development.
Blue Economy is often viewed as an overarching idea in the Indian Ocean; most discussions and academic research capture the regional and international outlook of Blue Economy. There are various regional initiatives like Sagarmala, collaboration with BIMSTEC nations, MoU with countries like Norway and many others that cater to the blue economy of India.
India’s blue economy constitutes around 4 per cent of the GDP. The Maritime Vision 2030 and the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 have highlighted the blue economy as one of the key drivers of economic growth for India. Apart from this, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has constituted the Blue Economy Coordination Committee to streamline the national and state plans in a coordinated manner. There are six functional clusters identified under blue economy which include:
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Coastal and Deep Sea Mining
- Marine Fisheries
- New and Renewable Offshore Energy
- National Coastal Marine Spatial Planning Framework
- Security and International Engagement
Maritime Vision 2030 brings coastal communities into focus through training programs. However, being the major stakeholder, coastal communities, local and state governments must have a better role in the coastal governance and frameworks of the blue economy. Issues like overfishing and habitat degradation are causes for concern and there is a need to adopt sustainable practices.
Blue Economy has always been viewed holistically, focusing mostly on the regional and international perspective. Very little attention has been given to the importance of the Blue Economy in the coastal areas. But coastal areas are important chokepoints for securing maritime security, promoting sustainable development and green tourism.
This webinar aims to capture the coastal perspectives and integrate them with the larger framework of the Blue Economy.
This webinar is organised as part of CPPR’s project done in collaboration with the The Asia Foundation, “Indian Coastal Think Tank Network: Addressing Traditional and Non-traditional Challenges in the Indian Coastal Region from Regional and National Perspectives”.
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The suggested key points for discussion are given below:
- Defining the term ‘Blue Economy’ and its key aspects.
- Understanding the importance of coastal perspective in Blue Economy.
- Coastal areas and sustainable development goals.
- Coastal communities and their importance in the larger blue economy’s governance and institutional framework.
- Examining the impact of the fishing, tourism, and renewable energy sectors on the communities in the coastal areas in India.
- India’s vision for the blue economy and envisioning the future of the blue economy in India from a west and east coast perspective.
SPEAKERS
Amb Rajiv Bhatia
Dr Monish Tourangbam
Monish Tourangbam, PhD, is the Director of the Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies (KIIPS). Formerly, he was an Associate Professor at the Amity Institute of International Studies, Amity University, Noida and Senior Assistant Professor at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal.
Dr Tourangbam was also an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and Associate Editor of the Indian Foreign Affairs Journal of the Association of Indian Diplomats. He was a Visiting Faculty at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio and a SAV Visiting Fellow at the Stimson Center, Washington D.C. He has been part of several Track II Dialogues. He was an International Observer of the Russian Presidential Election in 2018 and an Indian delegate at a BRICS Exchange Programme (2017), Beijing.
Dr Tourangbam holds an M.Phil and Ph.D in American Studies from the School of International Studies, JNU. He delivers lectures on Diplomacy at the Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi. He has written for the Institute of South Asian Studies, Stimson Center, The Diplomat, Institute of Security and Development Policy, Asian Confluence, The Print, Financial Express, Indiatimes and many others.
MODERATOR
Aleena T Sabu
Aleena is an Research Associate of the International Relations vertical at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, Kerala, India. She is currently working on the Indian Coastal Think Tank Network project and had previously worked on a paper with Vice Admiral MP Muralidharn on the Global Security Implications of the Bay of Bengal.
Aleena has completed her Master’s in Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and Bachelor’s in Political Science (Hons) from Delhi University.