India’s Coastline Must be Viewed as an Integrated Space of Ecology, Security, Economy, Technology and Human Development

Key Highlights

  • Coastline length: India has an 11,000–12,000 km coastline, among the longest in the world. (Note: the long-standing textbook figure is ~7,516 km; government assessments have recently revised it upward via fractal re-measurement of the tidal line — quote carefully and attribute.)
  • Integrated approach: Coastal challenges cannot be solved by sectors working in isolation; they need scientific knowledge, environmental sustainability, security and economic development combined — a “Coastal India / Coastal Bharat” approach.
  • Deep Ocean Mission emphasis: India is exploring largely unexplored deep-ocean resources while building indigenous capability; the indigenous research vessel ORV Sagar Manthan was recently launched. Robots and submersibles are being developed for deep-sea exploration.
  • Economic frontier: Marine and coastal resources — metals, minerals (including research on marine minerals such as black/polymetallic deposits) and fisheries — identified as the next frontier for the economy.
  • Coastal communities: Livelihoods and traditional knowledge of coastal communities are integral to sustainable coastal development.
  • Technology & security: Ocean observation, surveillance, communication, remote sensing, data and emerging technologies strengthen coastal and maritime preparedness.
  • Ports & infrastructure: Coastal infrastructure and ports are central to connectivity, trade and growth; their sustainable development needs sound marine-environment science.
  • Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign: Ongoing for five years (a 75-day drive launched in 2022); the 2026 edition runs 12–19 September, with clean-up drives, NGO participation and a citizen pledge.

Concept Clarifier: The Blue Economy

Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, livelihoods and jobs while preserving ocean and coastal ecosystem health. Spans fisheries and aquaculture, marine minerals, offshore energy, shipping and ports, coastal tourism, marine biotechnology and deep-sea resources. Aligns with SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Background & Linkages (Mains value-addition)

  • Deep Ocean Mission (DOM): MoES flagship (approved 2021), six components — deep-sea mining tech & manned submersible (Samudrayaan / MATSYA-6000), ocean climate change advisory services, deep-sea biodiversity, deep-ocean survey & exploration, ocean energy & freshwater from ocean, marine biology station. Targets the Central Indian Ocean Basin (ISA-allotted polymetallic nodule site).
  • Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): ~2.2 million sq km; sovereign rights over living/non-living resources under UNCLOS.
  • Institutions: INCOIS (Hyderabad), NCPOR (Goa), NIOT (Chennai), NCCR — all under MoES.
  • Coastal governance: CRZ notifications, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
  • Maritime security: Post-26/11 architecture (Coast Guard, Sagar Prahari Bal, coastal radar chains, marine police); SAGAR / MAHASAGAR doctrine in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Vision: Blue Economy in the Amrit Kaal / Viksit Bharat 2047 narrative; draft National Blue Economy Policy.

Significance

  1. Economic — untaps a resource frontier (minerals, fisheries, energy).
  2. Strategic — bridges coastal ecology and security in a contested Indo-Pacific.
  3. Scientific self-reliance — indigenous vessels/submersibles cut import dependence (Atmanirbhar Bharat in ocean tech).
  4. Ecological — couples development with conservation and community welfare.

Challenges

  • Marine pollution, plastic waste, degradation of mangroves and coral reefs.
  • Climate-driven sea-level rise, cyclones, coastal erosion.
  • Overfishing and threats to coastal livelihoods.
  • High cost and ecological risk of deep-sea mining to seabed biodiversity.
  • Fragmented, multi-ministry governance needing genuine convergence.

Prelims Pointers

  • Deep Ocean Mission — Ministry of Earth Sciences (not DST).
  • Samudrayaan — manned deep-ocean mission; submersible MATSYA-6000 (~6,000 m).
  • ORV Sagar Manthan — indigenous ocean research vessel (recently launched).
  • Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar — MoES coastal clean-up campaign.
  • SDG 14 — Life Below Water.
  • UNCLOS — EEZ up to 200 nautical miles; the “Area” (seabed beyond national jurisdiction) administered by the International Seabed Authority.

Practice Questions

Prelims (MCQ): With reference to India’s Deep Ocean Mission — (i) implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences; (ii) MATSYA-6000 is a manned submersible; (iii) it targets polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. Which are correct? (All three.)

Mains (GS-III): “India’s long coastline is simultaneously an economic frontier and a security frontier.” In light of the Blue Economy vision, discuss the opportunities and challenges in developing India’s coastal and deep-ocean resources sustainably. (250 words)

Source: PIB

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