Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean: Governance perspectives for sustainable development in the region

The Indian Ocean is vital to the economies, security and livelihoods of its littoral states. However, the economic and sustainable development issues in the rim are particularly challenging since the countries, with diverse political systems, development status and agendas, are home to one- third of the world’s population that rely extensively on the marine resources for sustenance, thereby subjecting the ocean’s resources to pressures from pollution, habitat degradation, and over-exploitation. Yet, if sustainable development goals are to be achieved and food security, livelihoods and economies based on marine resources assured, then, advancing blue economy through sustainable management and utilisation of ocean’s resources must be accorded high priority in the region. The paper explores the current governance framework of marine resource management in the Indian Ocean, delves into the challenges in blue economy development and recommends ways to advance blue economy governance in order to address pressures and ensure sustainable development in the region. This paper is part of ORF’s series, ‘India and Global Governance’. Find other research in the series here: Attribution: Aparna Roy, “Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean: Governance Perspectives for Sustainable Development in the Region”, ORF Occasional Paper No. 181 , January 2019, Observer Research Foundation. Introduction Oceans are the world’s single largest ecosystem, covering nearly three-fourths of the earth’s surface, thereby providing a massive arena for emerging complex and interconnected development issues such as climate change, livelihoods, commerce, and security. [i] According to estimates by the Global Ocean Commission, ocean resources contribute five percent of the world’s GDP, secure the jobs of three billion people, and sustain the livelihoods of 350 million. [ii]