‘Indo-US Ocean dialogue will help develop blue economy’

Team Udayavani, Nov 7, 2017, 2:17 PM IST

Panaji:  The first round of the the Indo-US Ocean dialogue held here recently is the beginning of a long term process between both the nations over promoting sustainable development of blue economy, a senior official said today. The dialogue, which was held last week, aimed at promoting sustainable development of the blue economy.

It was hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) in Goa. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Judith Garber led a high-powered American delegation.

“The idea of Indo-US dialogue was not to immediately gain something. It is a long term process in which both the countries will discuss and will move in a way which will be beneficial to both of them (nations),” CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography’s Director Sunil Kumar Singh told PTI today. He said that the both the nations will identify the problems related to ocean and where both of them can help each other.

“It is a mutual understanding that is going to be developed through this dialogue which will bloom in a big programme. “Both the nations will promote sustainable development of the blue economy,” he added. Singh said at present the dialogue is about dealing with ocean and different aspects of it (ocean).

“We are dealing with bio-diversity, deep sea mining and other aspects. NIO has done work on minerals in the sea. Now the question is how to extract it using new technology,” he said. “So we (India) need help and in that regard we are working together with the US,” Singh added. He said India does not have technology, right now, to extract those minerals.

“We are developing our own technology but wherever we require help, we might take it from the US,” Singh said. As a part of collaboration, Singh said, whenever India requires technology it will get it from the US and whatever they require from us, we will provide. He said the Indian delegation will also soon visit the US as part of this dialogue, the date of which is yet to be decided.