What is the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement)?
- Officially: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty.
- Informally: High Seas Treaty.
- Aim: To regulate the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (i.e., the high seas).
- Finalised under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) framework.
- Key feature: Equitable benefit sharing of marine genetic resources and creation of marine protected areas on the high seas.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)
India’s Status and Position
- Signed the treaty in September 2024 but has not ratified it yet.
- Requires amendments to domestic laws, particularly the Biological Diversity Act, before ratification.
- Sources indicate India is unlikely to ratify the treaty at the 2025 U.N. Ocean Conference (Nice, France).
Procedural and Legal Challenges
- Ratification involves a Parliamentary process.
- Expected only after the Monsoon Session (July–August 2025).
- Domestic legal and institutional reforms must align with treaty obligations, especially in benefit-sharing frameworks.
- India is cautious due to unresolved global disputes over:
- Access to marine genetic resources
- Technology transfer
- Distribution of economic benefits
Global Progress
- As of June 10, 2025:
- 49 countries have ratified the treaty.
- 60 ratifications required for it to come into legal force.
India’s Marine Strategy Highlights at Conference
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized:
- India is in the process of ratifying the treaty (signaling commitment).
- Ongoing marine initiatives:
- Samudrayaan Mission: India’s first manned submersible to reach 6,000 metres depth; trial planned for 2026.
- Ban on single-use plastics (national scale).
- Over $80 billion investment in Blue Economy sectors.
- Launch of ‘SAHAV’ Digital Ocean Data Portal for improved marine data access.
India’s Broader Marine Diplomacy
- Advocated for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty.
- Seeks to balance:
- National interest (marine resource access)
- Global responsibility (conservation leadership).
- Position suggests India supports marine biodiversity conservation, but on equitable and just terms
