(PTI)
Highlighting India’s strategic advantages in the Indian Ocean Region, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has said the blue economy is crucial for the country’s economic development. The minister left for Nairobi on Tuesday to attend the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference, organised by Kenya with Canada and Japan as co-hosts. He will address the conference on Wednesday. The Blue Economy refers to sustainable use of ocean resources for growth, jobs and improved living standards, while preserving the ecosystem. It encompasses areas like maritime transport, fisheries, renewable energy, waste management and tourism, according to the World Bank.
“Gadkari said India has a strategic location in the Indian Ocean Region, and on this basis, it endorses the growth of the blue economy in a sustainable, inclusive and people-centred manner through the framework of the Indian Ocean Rim Association,” the shipping ministry said in a statement. The minister said India is developing maritime infrastructure as well as inland waterways and coastal shipping through the launch of ambitious Sagarmala Programme, which will revolutionise maritime logistics and port-led developments in the country.
