India’s vast and diverse marine and coastal ecosystems provide the necessary conditions for the growth of blue carbon ecosystems along the country’s coast. Abundant mangroves, seagrasses, tidal marshes, and salt marshes—spread across its lengthy coastline of over 7,500 kilometers—have long made significant contributions to India’s goals to mitigate climate change and effectively advance India’s progress towards its net-zero emissions goal by 2070. Additionally, blue carbon ecosystems protect fisheries and tourism resources, as well as guard coastlines against natural disasters, thus playing a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of coastal residents in India. However, urbanization, industrial development, aquaculture expansion, and pollution increasingly threaten India’s blue carbon ecosystems. Furthermore, both the central government and private sector entities have yet to take significant action in the field of blue carbon, with efforts largely limited to localized mangrove preservation and restoration. Fortunately, India’s academic and research institutions have recognized the importance of blue carbon and are actively engaging in providing policy advice and raising public awareness about it.

This quarter’s BCCC Blue Carbon Country Profile, on India, aims to help readers better understand the current government actions, private efforts, and international cooperation on the research, protection, and development of the blue carbon ecosystems in India. While demonstrating and acknowledging the progress that India has made on blue carbon ecosystem protection over the years, the country profile also offers insights into future steps that India could take to elevate its blue carbon initiatives to a higher, more impactful level.