New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) — The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening India’s economic indicators by incorporating Ocean Ecosystem Accounts alongside traditional measures, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said on Saturday.
In partnership with Kerala’s Directorate of Economics and Statistics, MoSPI organised a one-day workshop in Kochi on “Capacity Building of Coastal States on Development of Ocean Accounts”.
N.K. Santoshi, Director General (Central Statistics), highlighted that ocean accounts provide critical insights into marine resources by tracking their extent, condition, services, and assets—serving as a complement to GDP.
MoSPI Secretary Saurabh Garg underscored the importance of integrating ocean ecosystem data into national accounts in line with the upcoming UN System of National Accounts (SNA-2025), which calls for greater accountability of natural assets such as oceans, forests, and water.
According to the ministry, the initiative will enhance transparency in GDP estimates, aid climate risk policymaking, and support sustainable development. Experts from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, National Remote Sensing Centre, and National Centre for Coastal Research contributed insights on fisheries, satellite data, and climate impacts relevant to ocean accounting.
The workshop urged coastal states to develop their own ocean accounts, forming the basis for national-level reporting under the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework.
Earlier this year, on January 22, 2025, MoSPI released “Ocean Ecosystem Accounts in India: A Framework”, prepared by an expert group, which integrates ecological and economic data for informed decision-making and sustainable ocean management.
Ocean accounting systematically tracks environmental assets, economic activities, and coastal livelihoods dependent on marine ecosystems—helping governments and communities balance development with conservation.
