Sagarmanthan 2026: Third Edition of India's Great Oceans Dialogue Concludes in New Delhi with 75 Nations

Why in News

The third edition of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue concluded on October 9, 2026 in New Delhi. Organised by India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), the event was held from October 7 to 9, 2026. It brought together more than 1,200 speakers, delegates, and participants from nearly 75 countries — including former heads of state and government — to deliberate on the future of the global maritime sector, blue economy, and rules-based ocean governance.

Background

Sagarmanthan is a Sanskrit word meaning "churning of the oceans" — an allusion to the Hindu mythological event of Samudra Manthan (churning of the cosmic ocean) in which gods and demons collaborated to extract divine treasures. The dialogue series reflects India's vision of oceans as a space for cooperative action, shared prosperity, and rule-based governance rather than conflict and competition.

India's maritime significance stems from its 7,516 km coastline (the 6th longest coastline in Asia), 12 major ports, over 200 non-major ports, and its position astride key global shipping lanes linking the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Pacific. Approximately 95% of India's trade by volume and 68% by value moves through the seas.

Previous Editions

• 1st Edition (2024): Inaugural Sagarmanthan dialogue; focused on India's role in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR); set the template for annual maritime diplomacy.
• 2nd Edition (2025): Expanded participation; focused on blue economy potential and green shipping corridors.
• 3rd Edition (2026): Largest edition; 75 countries, ~1,200 participants; theme on Trade, Technology, and Trust.

Current Developments — Third Edition (2026)

Theme and Pillars

The 2026 theme was "Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea." The conference was organised around five thematic pillars:

1. Steady Straits: Safeguarding trade flows in a fractured geopolitical world.
2. Blue Breakthroughs: Greening ships and shipbuilding — LNG, methanol, hydrogen, and ammonia as marine fuels; zero-emission shipping corridors.
3. Complex Seas: Managing trade, connectivity, and maritime turbulence (piracy, chokepoints, grey-zone activities).
4. Ocean Societies: Communities, cultures, and livelihoods dependent on the sea — fishermen, coastal communities, island nations.
5. The Heart of the Deal: Maritime commerce, finance, insurance, and port investment.

Key Participants

• Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
• Former Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa
• Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed
• Maritime ministers and senior officials from approximately 75 countries

Key Facts

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 51 (DPSP): The State shall endeavour to promote international peace and security, foster respect for international law and treaty obligations, and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration — the constitutional basis for India's engagement with international maritime law.
• Union List, Entry 24 (Seventh Schedule): Ports declared as major ports — central subject. Entry 25: Maritime shipping and navigation.
• Entry 31, Union List: Posts and telegraphs, telephones, wireless, broadcasting, and related matters — includes maritime communication infrastructure.

Legal Framework

• UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982: The foundational international treaty governing ocean rights and responsibilities, including territorial waters (12 nautical miles), Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nm), and continental shelf rights. India ratified UNCLOS in 1995.
• Indian Ports Act, 1908 (replaced by Major Ports Authorities Act, 2021): Governs major ports in India.
• Merchant Shipping Act, 1958: Governs Indian merchant shipping, safety, and registration of vessels.
• Maritime Zones Act, 1976: Defines India's territorial waters, EEZ, and continental shelf boundaries.
• International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Conventions: SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), MARPOL (Marine Pollution), and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW).

Institutional Framework

• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW): Nodal ministry for India's maritime affairs; organiser of Sagarmanthan.
• Observer Research Foundation (ORF): India's premier independent think tank; dialogue management and strategic framing partner.
• Directorate General of Shipping (DGS): Regulatory body for merchant shipping under MoPSW.
• Major Ports Authority of India: Statutory body for the 12 major ports (Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata-Haldia, etc.).
• International Maritime Organisation (IMO): UN specialised agency regulating global shipping safety and environmental performance; India is a Category-C member (Council).

Economic Dimensions

India's Maritime Vision 2047 (launched 2023) targets making India a top-10 global maritime nation by 2047. The blue economy — including fisheries, aquaculture, seabed minerals, offshore energy, maritime tourism, and shipping — contributes approximately 4% of India's GDP and has potential to grow to 10% of GDP by 2047. Sagarmanthan 2026 focussed on financing green shipping transitions, attracting port investment, and developing maritime insurance and logistics hubs in India.

Banking & financial angle: For IBPS/RBI candidates: the blue economy intersects with priority sector lending (fisheries and aquaculture are priority sectors under RBI guidelines), EXIM Bank's maritime financing, and India's export competitiveness — roughly 40% of India's merchandise exports are transported via sea.

Environmental Dimensions

A central theme of Sagarmanthan 2026 was green shipping — the transition of international shipping from fossil fuels to low- and zero-carbon fuels. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has a target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by 2050. India, as a major coastal nation and growing maritime power, has a direct stake in this transition. Green shipping corridors — routes where ships using zero-emission fuels are prioritised and incentivised — are a key tool. India is developing a green shipping corridor with the UAE (Kandla–Fujairah) as part of its National Green Hydrogen Mission.

The dialogue also addressed ocean acidification, plastic pollution in the marine environment, and the protection of marine biodiversity — all relevant to India's commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).

Social Dimensions

One of the five thematic pillars — Ocean Societies — specifically addressed the livelihoods of coastal communities, artisanal fishermen, and island nations that are most vulnerable to climate change-induced sea level rise, ocean warming, and extreme weather events. India has approximately 8.6 million fishermen (one of the world's largest fishing communities), many of whom operate in the informal economy without access to social security or credit.

International Relations

Sagarmanthan positions India as a global maritime thought leader and an anchor power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It aligns with India's broader foreign policy frameworks:

• SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): PM Modi's vision (2015) of India as a net security provider and development partner in the IOR.
• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): India-led seven-pillar framework for maritime cooperation launched in 2019 at the East Asia Summit.
• Quad (India, USA, Australia, Japan): Maritime security cooperation; includes the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative.
• India-ASEAN Maritime Dialogue: Engages ASEAN nations on maritime safety, connectivity, and blue economy.

Challenges

• Geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global shipping routes, increasing freight costs and delivery times for Indian exporters and importers.
• Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, as well as drone attacks on commercial vessels, remain persistent security concerns.
• Climate change poses existential threats to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — many of which participated in Sagarmanthan — through sea-level rise and intensification of tropical cyclones.
• Financing the green shipping transition (estimated at USD 1–2 trillion globally) requires coordination between public development banks, multilateral institutions, and private capital.

Government Initiatives

• Maritime India Vision 2030 / Maritime Vision 2047: Roadmap for India's maritime sector development.
• Sagarmala Programme (2016): Port-led development through port modernisation, port connectivity, and coastal community development.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023): Relevant to green maritime fuel development.
• SAGAR doctrine: Security and Growth for All in the Region — India's strategic vision for the Indian Ocean.
• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI, 2019): Seven-pillar framework covering maritime security, maritime ecology, maritime resources, capacity-building, disaster risk reduction, science and technology, and trade and connectivity.

Way Forward

India's Sagarmanthan platform has the potential to evolve into the Davos of maritime affairs — a permanent annual forum shaping global ocean governance. The NITI Aayog's Blue Economy Policy framework (2021) and the Economic Survey recommendations on coastal economic zones point to the need for an integrated maritime development strategy. Key priorities include:

• Operationalising the Coastal Shipping Act to boost domestic coastal freight (reducing road and rail congestion).
• Establishing India as a global maritime dispute resolution and arbitration hub (aligned with India's push to become an international arbitration centre).
• Scaling up investment in shipbuilding — India accounts for less than 1% of global shipbuilding currently; the target is 5% by 2030 under Maritime Vision 2047.

Possible Mains Questions

1. "India's SAGAR doctrine and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative represent a strategic vision for maritime engagement. Critically evaluate the potential and limitations of India's maritime diplomacy in the Indian Ocean Region." (GS-II: International Relations)
2. "The blue economy is a significant but underutilised growth frontier for India. Examine its dimensions, potential, and the policy framework required to realise its contribution to India's GDP by 2047." (GS-III: Economy)

Possible Prelims MCQs

1. Q. 'Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue' is organised by which Indian ministry?
   (a) Ministry of External Affairs
   (b) Ministry of Defence
   (c) Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
   (d) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
   Ans: (c) Sagarmanthan is organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
2. Q. UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) defines an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) up to how many nautical miles from a nation's baseline?
   (a) 12 nautical miles
   (b) 24 nautical miles
   (c) 200 nautical miles
   (d) 350 nautical miles
   Ans: (c) The EEZ extends 200 nautical miles from the baseline, within which the coastal state has sovereign rights over natural resources. Territorial sea = 12 nm; contiguous zone = 24 nm.
3. Q. The SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine was articulated by India as a vision for which region?
   (a) South China Sea
   (b) Indian Ocean Region
   (c) Pacific Ocean
   (d) Arctic Ocean
   Ans: (b) SAGAR was articulated by PM Modi in 2015 during his visit to Mauritius, as India's vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Essay Dimensions

1. Oceans as the new frontier: blue economy, maritime security, and global cooperation.
2. India as a maritime power: historical legacy and 21st-century ambitions.
3. Climate change and the seas: small island nations, fishers, and the global commons.
4. Rules-based international order at sea: UNCLOS, maritime disputes, and India's role.
5. Green shipping and sustainable trade: the interplay between commerce and ecology.

Interview Questions

1. What is the SAGAR doctrine and what are its key components?
2. What is the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and which country leads each of its seven pillars?
3. What percentage of India's trade (by volume) moves through the seas?
4. What is UNCLOS and when did India ratify it? What is an Exclusive Economic Zone?
5. What is the Sagarmala Programme, and how does it relate to port-led economic development?

FAQ

Q: What is Sagarmanthan?

Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue is India's annual flagship maritime diplomacy event, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). 'Sagarmanthan' means 'churning of the oceans' in Sanskrit.

Q: What was the theme of Sagarmanthan 2026?

The 2026 theme was "Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea", organised around five pillars: Steady Straits, Blue Breakthroughs, Complex Seas, Ocean Societies, and The Heart of the Deal.

Q: What is India's SAGAR doctrine?

SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region — India's strategic vision for the Indian Ocean, announced by PM Modi in 2015 at Mauritius. It positions India as a net security provider and development partner for Indian Ocean nations.

Q: What is the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative?

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) is an India-led open, voluntary, and inclusive framework launched in 2019 at the East Asia Summit, structured around seven pillars: maritime security, maritime ecology, maritime resources, capacity-building, disaster risk reduction, science and technology, and trade and connectivity.

Further Reading

• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: shipmin.gov.in
• Observer Research Foundation: orfonline.org
• International Maritime Organisation: imo.org
• India's Maritime Vision 2047 (MoPSW)