Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial Sea (12NM): 2,79,586 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 23,72,298 km²
Strategic documents related to MSP
Technical resources related to MSP
- MSP-SAHAV “A Digital Public Good”
- Draft Report on Marine Spatial Planning for Puducherry
- DCOIN (Digital Coast-India)
- An in-house developed dashboard with all coastal and marine-related data. The dashboard is currently underpublishing for end-user usage
Relevant MSP projects
- Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – Puducherry
- Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – Lakshadweep
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – Puducherry |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2023 |
Size of planning area in km²
|
51,098 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Ministry of Earth Sciences |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Underway |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
Pilot |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Coastal and Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Comprehensive |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Guiding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Partial allocation |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Collaborative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – Lakshadweep |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
Under Progress |
Size of planning area in km²
|
121,276 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Ministry of Earth Sciences |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Underway |
Plan completion
|
Underway |
Plan approval
|
N/A |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Ministry of Earth Sciences |
Governmental funding |
yes |
External funding |
no |
Public-Private funding |
no |
Total size of planning area |
23,72,298 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
Completed the Draft MSP document |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in India was adopted to address rising conflicts over marine resource use, ecological stress and the need for structured coastal development. With a long coastline and a large Exclusive Economic Zone, activities like fishing, shipping, tourism, and other activities often compete for space, leading to environmental degradation and community tensions. MSP provides a framework to manage these challenges by promoting coordinated, sustainable decision-making. It supports India’s blue economy goals while safeguarding ecosystems and local livelihoods. |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Although MSP typically follows a participatory planning framework, the degree and approach to stakeholder involvement vary significantly across regions and contexts influenced by social, economic and political factors. During the preparation of MSP, a diverse array of engagement activities such as workshops, public consultations and stakeholder meetings were organised to ensure the inclusion of local communities, fishermen, tourism operators, environmental NGOs and government agencies. Key Activities in Stakeholder Engagement:
• First Indo-Norway workshop on Marine Spatial Planning to develop future food from the ocean(13th – 15th December 2021) • Brainstorming sessions on Fisheries, Shoreline Management, Tourism, and CRZ/ecology for MSP (3rd to 6th October, 2022) •Brainstorming session on Ocean Accounting in India(4th November, 2022) • Workshop on Marine Spatial Planning for Tamil Nadu (10th January, 2023) • One day training on Marine Spatial Planning portal (SAHAV) (9th February, 2024) • Workshop on Seagrass Restoration(21st June, 2024) • Preparatory meeting for the MSP implementation workshop (24th June, 2024) • MSP-Puducherry Implementation workshop (18th and 19th September, 2024) • Two-day Workshop on Benthic Habitat Mapping ( 3rd and 4th December, 2024). The events served as platforms for stakeholders to voice their perspectives, share traditional knowledge and actively participate in the decision-making process. The inclusive approach helped to address sectoral conflicts and foster mutual understanding. It helped in identifying critical fishing grounds and biodiversity hotspots, ensuring that the livelihoods of fishermen and the ecological importance of these areas were considered in zoning and resource allocation. This MSP identified key areas for sustainable tourism development, focusing on minimising environmental impact while promoting economic growth. Government Agencies played a pivotal role by facilitating discussions on existing laws, regulations, and governance structures. |
Sectors included in planning |
• Fishery • Tourism • Port and Harbor • Environment,Forest and Climate Change • Telecommunications and Power • Public Works Department • Disaster Management • Town & Country planning • Agriculture •Economy |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) work together to ensure sustainable use of marine and coastal areas. Both aim to balance environmental protection, economic development and community needs while managing the challenges of competing resource uses. MSP focuses on managing marine areas within the Exclusive EconomicZone (EEZ), while ICZM focuses on coastal zones and estuaries. Since their boundaries overlap, especially near the shore, coordination is necessary to avoid conflicts during regulatory framework generation. MSP manages activities like fishing, shipping, offshore energy, etc., while ICZM looks after coastal industries, urban development, land-based pollution, etc. Both MSP and ICZM involve local communities, industries governments for the planning processes. MSP focuses on zoning marine areas for activities like fishing or conservation, while ICZM protects coasts from problems like sea-level rise and storms. In India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) leads ICZM, while MSP involves multiple agencies headed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). MSP pilots in Puducherry and Lakshadweep show how integrating these frameworks benefits coastal and marine management. Aligning these efforts avoids conflicts, reduces duplication of work, and promotes sustainable development, helping India manage its coastal and |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) plays a critical role in promoting marine conservation and aligns closely with the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). MSP provides a structured approach to allocate marine spaces for various activities, ensuring that biodiversity-rich areas are protected while supporting sustainable economic use. Under the GBF’s targets, which aim to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, MSP helps identify and designate marine protected areas (MPAs) and critical habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses that act as natural carbon sinks and support marine life. In the Indian context, MSP facilitates integrated planning to conserve biodiversity hotspots while balancing activities like fishing, tourism, renewable energy, etc. By integrating conservation goals with sustainable development, MSP ensures that marine ecosystems remain resilient to threats such as overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change. Together, MSP and the Kunming-Montreal GBF provide a roadmap for safeguarding marine biodiversity, contributing to India’s commitments to global biodiversity goals. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
The connection between Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)and sustainable blue economy lies in their shared vision of fostering economic growth through the responsible use of marine resources while ensuring the protection and resilience of marine ecosystems. MSPacts as a strategic tool to manage and allocate marine spaces for diverse activities along the coast and the marine areas. By clearly defining zones for specific uses, MSP ensures that these activities coexist in harmony, avoiding conflicts and reducing the environmental impact of one sector on another. This approach aligns directly with the Blue Economy’s goal of maximising the value of marine resources in a sustainable manner. MSP is very much needed to manage competing demands of marine resources, by providing a framework for resolving conflicts between industries, designating areas for different uses and environmental conservation. For instance, MSP can allocate zones for offshore renewable energy projects, such as wind and tidal energy, while simultaneously protecting critical fishing grounds and biodiversity hotspots, like coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows. This zoning approach reduces the potential for spatial and sectoral conflicts and supports the sustainable use of marine ecosystems. Moreover, MSP fosters collaboration between industries, policymakers and local communities, encouraging joint efforts to address shared challenges and opportunities. By integrating economic activities with environmental conservation, MSP helps to create a blue economy that not only promotes economic development but also safeguards ocean health for future generations. In the context of India, MSP is a crucial mechanism for ensuring that its vast and diverse marine resources are managed effectively. It supports the growth of sectors like fisheries, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy and tourism while ensuring that the coastal and marine ecosystems are protected. Through MSP, India can achieve a balance between development and conservation, ensuring the sustainable use of its marine resources and contributing to the broader goals of environmental sustainability, social equity and economic prosperity within the blue economy framework. Together, MSP and the blue economy offer a holistic and integrated approach to managing the marine environment, promoting long-term benefits for people and ecosystems. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) plays a pivotal role in addressing the challenges of climate change while supporting sustainable ocean governance, aligning closely with the global objectives of the Paris Agreement. MSP provides a structured framework for managing marine and coastal areas in a way that not only reduces climate risks but also promotes the development of renewable energy and protects ecosystems critical to climate resilience. One of the most significant contributions of MSP to climate action is its focus on protecting and enhancing marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs, which act as vital natural carbon sinks. In India, MSP can identify and allocate marine zones for offshore renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar farms, which are key components of India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. By effectively zoning areas for clean energy development, MSP supports the transition to a low-carbon economy, ensuring that renewable energy projects are placed in optimal locations without compromising the health of marine ecosystems or other economic activities like fishing and tourism. Moreover, MSP plays a critical role in enhancing the climate resilience of coastal communities. As sea-level rise and extreme weather events, such as cyclones and storm surges, increasingly threaten coastal populations, MSP can ensure that natural barriers—such as mangroves, coral reefs and sand dunes—are protected and restored. These ecosystems act as buffers, reducing the impact of flooding and erosion and providing vital protection for human settlements. By identifying these critical zones and ensuring their preservation through spatial planning, MSP helps safeguard coastal infrastructure and livelihoods from the worst effects of climate change. In addition to ecosystem protection, MSP integrates climate adaptation strategies by designating areas for resilient infrastructure development. Through spatial zoning, MSP ensures that development is directed away from high-risk areas, such as flood-prone zones or areas vulnerable to coastal erosion, thereby enhancing the overall resilience of coastal communities. By incorporating both mitigation and adaptation strategies, MSP strengthens India’s efforts to combat climate change, protect vulnerable ecosystems and ensure that marine resources contribute to long-term sustainability. This approach is essential for enhancing India’s climate commitments, ensuring a resilient coastal future while fostering the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources. |
Plan approval process |
India’s Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) efforts have reached a major milestone with the Government of Puducherry officially approving the draft Marine Spatial Plan and initiating its first-level implementation. As part of the Indo-Norwegian Integrated Ocean Initiative, this marks a significant step toward sustainable ocean governance. Adding to its impact, the MSP-Puducherry portal, named SAHAV, has been recognised as a Digital Public Good (DPG) by the DPG Alliance. This recognition is historic—it is India’s first DPG under SDG-14 (Life Below Water) and the world’s first marine-focused Digital Public Good. SAHAV serves as a GIS-based decision support system, enabling real-time,data-driven planning and coordination across marine sectors. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Guiding |
Plan review process |
Under progress |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
N/A |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
India’s MSP efforts increasingly recognise the importance of transboundary coherence, especially in shared ecosystems and migratory corridors across the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal region. Collaborative interactions with neighbouring countries such as SriLanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives can foster harmonised planning approaches, data sharing, and joint management of marine resources. By aligning MSP frameworks and engaging in regional dialogues, India can contribute to a more integrated and sustainable ocean governance model that addresses ecological connectivity, maritime security and climate resilience across borders. |
Legal framework
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in India is emerging as a key approach to achieve sustainable ocean governance, balancing economic development with ecological conservation. Although a dedicated MSP legislation is not yet in place, various policies and frameworks indirectly support its implementation.
*The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019,
*The draft National Fisheries Policy, 2020,
*The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) projects
* The Maritime Zones of India Act, 1981
*The draft Blue Economy Policy, 2021
Additionally, India’s collaboration with Norway under the India-Norway Ocean Dialogue has led to the development of a draft Marine Spatial Planning framework, piloted in Lakshadweep and Puducherry. India’s progress in MSP reflects its commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life below Water) while fostering the growth of its Blue Economy.