India unlikely to ratify ‘Excessive Seas Treaty’ at U.N. Ocean Convention

India’s Minister of Science and Know-how and Minister of Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, addresses the viewers throughout a plenary session on the second day of the United Nations Ocean Convention (UNOC3), within the French Riviera metropolis of Good, on June 10, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: AFP

India is unlikely to ratify the Biodiversity Past Nationwide Jurisdiction (BBNJ) settlement—additionally identified informally because the ‘Excessive Seas Treaty’—on the ongoing United Nations Ocean Convention in Good, France, sources indicated to The Hindu.

Although India signed the settlement in September 2024, formal ratification is pending. Earlier than continuing, the federal government is required to amend sure legislations, together with the Organic Range Act, it’s learnt. “It will in all probability be taken up after the Monsoon Session (July 12–August 12) and must be handed in Parliament. There are different points that additionally have to be sorted out,” an individual conversant in the negotiations stated.

As of June 10, 49 nations have ratified the treaty. As soon as 60 nations full the method, the treaty will enter into authorized power.

Union Minister for Science and Know-how Jitendra Singh, who’s representing India on the convention, which continues till June 13, acknowledged in France that India was within the “means of ratifying the treaty.”

One of the vital contentious points of the BBNJ is the sharing of sources. The excessive seas, mendacity past the unique financial zones (EEZ) of countries, aren’t underneath the jurisdiction of any single nation. These areas are identified to harbour distinctive and unique marine life. Whereas industrial extraction stays technically difficult, a transparent mechanism for equitable sharing of potential financial advantages is but to be finalised.

Along with useful resource sharing, the BBNJ settlement seeks to deal with long-term conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas past nationwide jurisdiction. It lays out mechanisms for environmental impression assessments, area-based administration instruments, and enhanced worldwide cooperation for ocean governance.

In his tackle on June 10, Dr. Singh highlighted India’s progress on Samudrayaan, the nation’s manned submersible mission, which is predicted to succeed in ocean depths of as much as 6,000 metres and is slated for a trial dive in 2026. He additionally referred to India’s nationwide ban on single-use plastics and highlighted greater than $80 billion in Blue Financial system investments.

India reiterated its name for a legally binding International Plastics Treaty and launched the ‘SAHAV’ digital ocean information portal on the convention, underscoring its rising management in world marine conservation efforts.

The convention is being co-hosted by France and Costa Rica underneath the theme, “Accelerating Motion and Mobilizing All Actors to Preserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean.”