India took a significant 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. The initiative was launched at North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram, by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh during a field visit to the open waters of the Andaman Sea on 18 January 2026.
Describing the initiative as a landmark moment in India’s Blue Economy journey, the Minister said the project marks one of the first major steps towards realising the vast economic potential of the country’s oceans, a vision repeatedly emphasised by the Prime Minister. He noted that for nearly seven decades after Independence, India’s maritime resources remained largely underutilised, despite offering economic possibilities comparable to those of the Himalayas and the mainland.
The Minister underlined that since 2014 there has been a decisive shift in national thinking, recognising the oceans as a vital pillar of economic growth, livelihoods and sustainable development. He highlighted that India’s maritime domain is diverse and heterogeneous, with the western, southern and eastern seaboards each possessing unique characteristics and opportunities that require region-specific approaches.
The open-sea marine fish farming project is being implemented through a collaborative framework 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. The pilot project focuses on cage-based cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed in natural open-ocean conditions, integrating advanced scientific technology with livelihood generation for coastal and island communities.
During the launch, two key livelihood-oriented interventions were initiated. Under the marine flora component, seaweed seeds were distributed to local fishing communities to promote deep-water seaweed cultivation in open-sea conditions. Under the marine fauna component, finfish seeds were provided for cage-based cultivation using advanced open-sea cages developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, designed to withstand natural oceanic conditions.
The Minister said that while the current initiative is government-led, the experience gained through this pilot will enable scaling up of open-sea aquaculture through public–private partnership models in the future. Such an approach, he noted, would accelerate adoption, expand employment opportunities and strengthen India’s emerging Blue Economy ecosystem.
As part of his visit to the Andaman Islands, the Minister also visited the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor, one of India’s earliest marine protected areas established in 1983. Spread across 15 islands, the park is known for its rich coral reefs, mangroves and diverse marine biodiversity, including turtles and numerous fish species. The visit highlighted the importance of balancing economic activity with conservation of fragile marine ecosystems.
The launch of the open-sea marine fish farming project at North Bay reflects the Government of India’s emphasis on taking science and technology directly to the field and ensuring that coastal and island communities become active stakeholders in ocean-led economic growth, while promoting sustainable and responsible use of marine resources.
