OCEAN DEVELOPMENT

With the ratification of the UN Convention on Law of the Sea, a new international order has been established for the oceans. India is represented in almost all the important bodies on oceans. The oceanographic programmes have national, regional and global importance. The Department is the nodal agency for several international programmes in the ocean sector and represents the country in Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, Regional Committee of IOC in Coastal Indian Ocean (IOCINDIO), International Sea-Bed Authority (ISBA) and the State Parties of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) and its scientific and managerial organs - Commission on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programme (COMNAP), Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), etc.
In a significant development the minstry of ocean development has been recently named as the ministry of Earth sciences. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is in charge of matters relating to Ocean Science and Technology, Meteorology, Seismology, Climate and Environmental Sciences and related Earth Sciences. 
The Department of Ocean Development was created in July 1981 to serve as a nodal Department for organising, coordinating and promoting ocean development activities in the country, in line with the Ocean Policy Statement. The programmes of the Department are directed towards : (1) Technology Development Programmes for future applications with strategic, industrial and economic significance; (2) Societal Programmes with direct/ indirect benefit for the community by technology applications and pilot project demonstration with the participation of the community for their socio-economic prosperity, and for coastal area development. (3) Marine Resources Programmes for exploration of marine living and non-living resources, techno- economic studies to evolve strategies for sustainable exploration and utilistion, and resource enhancement. (4) Multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary Polar Science Progammes and Antarctic Expeditions with scientific and geopolitical significance; (5) Capacity Building Programme towards self-reliance through basic scientific research in ocean sector, human resource development and establishing Centres of Excellence in academic institutions and (6) Creation of public awareness of ocean, its potential and uses. 
Marine Research and Capacity Building is one of the key programme areas of the Department to promote basic research in marine science and establish centres of excellence in academic institution and of self reliance.