India on Sunday took a major step towards harnessing its ocean-based economic potential with the launch of the country’s first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, inaugurated the pilot initiative at North Bay near Sri Vijaya Puram during a field visit to the open waters.
Describing the project as a milestone in India’s Blue Economy journey, Singh said it marked one of the first major efforts to unlock the economic value of the country’s vast ocean resources, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. He noted that for decades after Independence, India’s oceans remained largely underutilised, despite their immense potential for growth and livelihoods.
“For nearly 70 years, the economic power of our oceans was neglected. Since 2014, there has been a shift in thinking, recognising that India’s maritime domain is as rich and valuable as its Himalayan and mainland resources,” the Minister said. He added that India’s western, southern and eastern seaboards each possess distinct characteristics that can contribute uniquely to national development.
The project is being implemented through a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, its technical arm – the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) – and the Union Territory administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The pilot focuses on open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed in natural ocean conditions, combining advanced marine technology with livelihood generation for local fishing communities.
As part of the launch, two livelihood-oriented interventions were initiated. Under the marine flora component, seaweed seeds were distributed to local fishers to promote deep-water seaweed farming in the open sea. Under the marine fauna component, finfish seeds were provided for cage-based cultivation using NIOT-developed open-sea cages designed to withstand natural oceanic conditions.
Singh said the government-led pilot would help assess feasibility and build experience, paving the way for scaling up such initiatives through public–private partnership models in the future. This, he noted, could accelerate deployment, expand employment opportunities and strengthen India’s Blue Economy ecosystem.
During his visit to the Andaman Islands, the Minister also toured the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor, one of India’s earliest marine parks established in 1983. Spread across 15 islands, the park is known for its rich marine biodiversity, including coral reefs, mangroves, turtles and diverse fish species.
According to the Earth Sciences Ministry, the launch of the open-sea fish farming project underscores the government’s push to take science and technology directly to coastal and island regions, enabling local communities to become active stakeholders in India’s ocean-led economic growth.
