New Delhi can still bridge the gap by implementing NITI AAYOG Report

By R. Suryamurthy

China has already expanded its presence in the Indian Ocean — not just with warships and ports, but also with fishing nets. Its distant-water fleets, armed with state subsidies, GPS-linked trawlers and floating processing units, now sweep across the Indo-Pacific, harvesting tuna, squid and coral reef fish from waters once left to local fishers. India, by contrast, still hugs the coast — a maritime power that fishes like a village republic.

When NITI Aayog last week released its report, “India’s Blue Economy: Strategy for Harnessing Deep-Sea and Offshore Fisheries”, it marked an overdue recognition of this strategic imbalance. For decades, India’s engagement with its seas has been defensive — policing

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