Port Blair: India marked a major step toward an ocean-driven economy on Sunday as Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, formally unveiled the country’s first open-sea marine fish farming project directly from the waters of the Andaman Sea.
Launching the initiative in North Bay, Vijaya Puram, Dr. Singh said the project reflects a new national imagination – one that sees India’s oceans not just as borders, but as engines of growth and opportunity. He echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to fully tap the “Blue Economy,” noting that this project is the first of many expected across the country’s coastline.
Speaking to scientists, officials, and members of the local fishing community, the minister pointed out that India had long overlooked the economic potential of its maritime domain. For decades since Independence, he said, the seas remained underutilised, even though they hold resources as rich and varied as those in the Himalayas or the mainland. He added that since 2014, policy direction has shifted, recognising the equal importance of ocean-based industries, research, and livelihoods.
The pilot project brings together the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration, according to an official statement. Unlike traditional coastal aquaculture, the initiative moves fish farming into deep natural waters, opening the door to larger-scale cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed.
On-site, the launch kicked off two parallel livelihood programmes. Seaweed seeds were distributed to local fisher groups to begin deep-water farm plots, while finfish seeds were placed into specially designed open-ocean cages developed by NIOT to withstand real sea conditions. Dr. Singh said this hands-on model ensures that island communities stand to benefit first from new marine technologies.
He added that once field-tested, the concept could expand beyond government support to public–private partnerships, opening new avenues for investment, innovation, and jobs in coastal and island economies.
During his Andaman visit, the minister also toured the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor. Spread over 15 islands, the park is known for its coral reefs, mangroves, and marine species that underpin the region’s ecological wealth. Dr. Singh highlighted that science, sustainability, and livelihoods must advance together, especially in regions whose daily life depends on the sea.
