Policy Update
Prithvi Naoh
Introduction / Background
India, with its vast coastline of about 7,500 kilometers and surrounding seas, has always had a close relationship with the ocean. The Indian Ocean influences the country’s monsoon patterns, fisheries, maritime trade, and even its climate. As a nation highly dependent on oceanic activities for food, transport, livelihood, and energy, India needs to manage its marine resources wisely. To meet these needs and strengthen ocean research and services, the Government of India introduced a wide-ranging initiative called O-SMART.
Launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), O-SMART stands for Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology. It brings together several ongoing and new ocean-related projects under a single umbrella. The scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2018 and is a step forward in improving India’s understanding of the oceans and using their resources sustainably. The main aim of O-SMART is to support the Blue Economy by promoting the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improving the lives of people, and preserving the ocean ecosystem.
Objectives of O-SMART
O-SMART has been designed with several important goals in mind, which are essential to both scientific research and public services. These objectives include:
- Providing Ocean Information and Services: O-SMART aims to give accurate and timely weather forecasts, ocean state reports, and early warnings to fishermen, coastal communities, and shipping industries. These services help them stay safe and make better decisions.
- Developing Ocean Observation Systems: The scheme works to expand India’s network of ocean observation tools, such as buoys, underwater sensors, satellites, and floats. These systems collect data on temperature, currents, tides, salinity, and more.
- Supporting Marine Biodiversity and Resource Studies: O-SMART supports research and surveys to study marine biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, and the potential for sustainable harvesting of marine resources such as fish, minerals, and energy.
- Encouraging Technology Development: One major aim is to promote innovation in marine technology. This includes building underwater robots, deep-sea mining systems, and tools to explore the ocean floor.
- Exploring Deep Ocean Resources: The Deep Ocean Mission, a key part of O-SMART, focuses on exploring resources like polymetallic nodules, hydrothermal vents, and marine genetic material from the deep sea.
- Global Scientific Collaboration: O-SMART also helps India take part in international marine science programs and fulfill its global environmental responsibilities under agreements like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Merits of O-SMART
O-SMART has several benefits that make it a valuable program for India and the global scientific community. Some of the major merits are:
1. Enhancing Fishermen’s Safety and Income
One of the most important services under O-SMART is the Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisory, which informs fishermen about where they are most likely to catch fish. This saves time, fuel, and effort while increasing their income. Also, early weather and cyclone warnings help protect their lives and boats.
2. Building Resilience to Natural Disasters
India is vulnerable to natural disasters like cyclones, tsunamis, and sea-level rise. The improved ocean monitoring under O-SMART allows the government to give early warnings and evacuation orders, which help reduce damage and save lives.
3. Strengthening India’s Blue Economy
O-SMART supports the Blue Economy by promoting deep-sea exploration, eco-friendly tourism, renewable ocean energy, and marine biotechnology. This not only creates jobs but also contributes to sustainable economic growth.
4. Improving Scientific Knowledge
The program supports cutting-edge research in oceanography and marine sciences. It provides data to scientists across the country for better understanding of climate change, marine pollution, and ocean processes.
5. Boosting Technological Growth
India is building its own underwater vehicles, deep-sea mining systems, and advanced buoys. This reduces dependence on foreign technology and boosts self-reliance in marine engineering.
6. Fulfilling International Duties
O-SMART helps India participate in global efforts to study and protect the oceans. India shares its ocean data with international organizations and contributes to projects like the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).
Demerits / Challenges
While O-SMART has many advantages, it also faces some challenges and limitations that need attention. These include:
1. High Financial Costs
Building, launching, and maintaining deep-sea vehicles, satellite systems, and observation equipment requires heavy investment. Even small ocean sensors can be expensive, especially when they are deployed far out at sea or in deep ocean regions.
2. Technical Difficulties
Working in the deep ocean is very difficult. The extreme pressure, darkness, and cold temperatures make it hard to collect samples or carry out repairs. India is still developing the necessary skills and equipment to manage these tasks.
3. Environmental Concerns
Mining or exploring the deep sea for minerals can disturb fragile ecosystems. Without proper planning, it could lead to long-term environmental harm. Ensuring sustainability is a big challenge for O-SMART.
4. Limited Awareness Among Coastal Communities
Although O-SMART offers useful services like PFZ and cyclone warnings, many fishermen and coastal dwellers are not fully aware of how to use these tools. This is often due to language barriers, lack of digital access, or insufficient outreach.
5. Coordination and Data Sharing
India has many institutions working on marine science, but sometimes coordination between them is weak. Data sharing needs to be faster and more open to ensure all researchers benefit from O-SMART.
Source: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-news-analysis/o-smart-scheme-2
Way Forward
To overcome the challenges and improve the impact of O-SMART, the following steps can be taken:
1. Increase Funding and Partnerships
The government should continue to increase funding for O-SMART, while also encouraging partnerships with private companies and international organizations. This will ensure financial and technical support for future projects.
2. Build Human Resources
India needs to train more experts in ocean sciences, engineering, and marine biology. More scholarships, training centers, and fellowships can help build a strong team of ocean professionals.
3. Improve Communication with Local Communities
It is important to communicate ocean services and warnings in local languages and through simple technology like SMS or radio. Community outreach and training programs can help spread awareness.
4. Focus on Sustainability
Every activity under O-SMART must be eco-friendly and follow strict environmental rules. Deep-sea mining, for example, should be limited and done only after careful study of its impact on marine life.
5. Strengthen Global Collaboration
India can benefit from working closely with countries like Japan, the US, and Australia in deep-sea exploration and marine science. It should also take leadership roles in international ocean conservation forums.
6. Create Open-Access Data Platforms
Creating a national ocean data hub where information is freely available to students, researchers, and policymakers can encourage more use of O-SMART resources and lead to faster innovation.
Conclusion
O-SMART is a timely and visionary scheme that reflects India’s growing interest in ocean science and the sustainable use of marine resources. By bringing together technology, research, public services, and environmental responsibility, the scheme offers a complete plan for managing India’s ocean space. It not only helps fishermen and coastal communities but also supports national security, climate research, and economic development.
Though it faces challenges like high costs, technical issues, and environmental risks, O-SMART shows great promise. With better planning, increased awareness, and continued support from all sectors, it can help India become a global leader in ocean science and conservation. In the coming years, the success of O-SMART will play a key role in protecting our oceans for the benefit of future generations.
References (APA 7th Edition)
Ministry of Earth Sciences. (2021). O-SMART Scheme. Government of India. https://moes.gov.in/programmes/o-smart
Press Information Bureau. (2018, August 29). Cabinet approves continuation of the umbrella scheme O-SMART. Government of India. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1544565
UNESCO. (2020). United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). https://www.oceandecade.org/
Muthuvairavasamy, R., & Muthusamy, V. (2021). Ocean governance and India’s Blue Economy initiatives. Journal of Marine Policy, 131, 104637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104637
Ravindran, J. (2020). India’s deep sea mission: Opportunities and risks. ORF Occasional Paper, 269. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/research/india-deep-sea-mission/
About the Author
Prithvi Naoh is currently pursuing his Masters in International Relations from Loyola College
Acknowledgement:
The author extends sincere gratitude to Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja for her invaluable guidance and mentorship throughout the research process.
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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