New Delhi, India – September 10, 2025 – India has broken new ground by hosting, for the first time in nearly five decades, the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP48)—an authoritative international forum on oceans governance. The event is organized by Gujarat Maritime University (GMU) in partnership with the World Maritime University (WMU) and the U.S. Naval War College and supported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Themed “Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim”, COLP48 spotlights the region’s leadership in crafting inclusive, sustainable ocean governance rooted in Global South priorities.

Historic Debut in the Indian Subcontinent

From September 9–12, 2025, delegates gathered at The Ashok Hotel in New Delhi, marking a milestone: the first COLP edition hosted in the Indian subcontinent.The four-day program included a BBNJ (High Seas) clinic, keynote speeches, technical sessions, and a cultural field visit.

COLP48
Source: PIB

Distinguished Voices and Key Themes

Keynote speakers represented a global spectrum of expertise:

  • Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of MoES, emphasized the Indian Ocean’s vital role in climate regulation, biodiversity, livelihoods, and trade—and highlighted emerging threats like marine heatwaves and acidification.
  • Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal presided as Chief Guest on September 11, underscoring India’s maritime aspirations.
  • Other featured voices included Judge Neeru Chadha (International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea), Dr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna (WHOI), Amb. Arif Havas Oegroseno (Indonesia), Prof. James Kraska (U.S. Naval War College), and Cdr. Chris Hutton (U.S. Navy).

GMU leaders such as Shri Pankaj Joshi (President, GMU) and Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar (Provost, GMU) also played prominent roles. Global academic leaders like Prof. Maximo Q. Mejia (WMU President) and Prof. Ronán Long (Director, WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute) rounded out the lineup.

Focused Agenda: Ocean Governance from the Global South

Sessions addressed pivotal concerns:

  • Marine security, seabed resource governance, climate action, pollution control
  • Integration of AI and digital tools into ocean governance
  • Dispute settlement and the unique perspectives of Indian Ocean Rim and small island developing states (SIDS).

Dr. Ravichandran further outlined five priority areas shaping a developing-world approach to ocean governance:

  1. Food and livelihood security via sustainable fisheries and mariculture
  2. Strengthening regional cooperation rooted in South-South solidarity
  3. Blending traditional knowledge with modern science for participatory governance
  4. Promoting climate resilience via ecosystem-based conservation
  5. Catalyzing innovative financing, technology, and capacity building for ocean research and governance.

He also warned that marine heatwave days in the Indian Ocean could escalate from 20 to 220 annually by century’s end posing grave threats to coral reefs, fisheries, and coastal communities.

Also Read : India Maritime Week 2025 – Green Initiatives, Brahmaputra Cruises, and ₹1 Trillion Maritime Investment

Toward an Inclusive, Technology-Driven Blue Economy

COLP48 prioritizes practitioner-led panels and clinics aimed at actionable outcomes from maritime domain awareness to policy tools for AI-enabled high seas monitoring. The conference calls for enhanced engagement of Indian Ocean states in global frameworks like UNCLOS, the International Seabed Authority, and the BBNJ Agreement.

A Global Success Rooted in the Indian Ocean Rim

COLP48’s New Delhi edition not only amplifies the Indian Ocean Rim’s strategic significance but also cements India’s leadership in inclusive, sustainable ocean governance. It pioneers a shift toward equitable blue economy frameworks through ocean governance, maritime security, and Indian Ocean Rim–focused policy dialogue.

Source: (Press Information Bureau)