New Delhi: The Ministry of Earth Sciences signed a MoES MoU with the Government of Puducherry on February 12 to strengthen marine research, coastal resilience and blue economy initiatives in the Union Territory.
Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES, and Dr. Sharat Chauhan, Chief Secretary of Puducherry, signed the agreement in New Delhi. The partnership followed high-level discussions between Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh and Lieutenant-Governor K. Kailashnathan on regional maritime priorities.
Under the MoES MoU, both sides will collaborate across six strategic areas to promote sustainable development and climate adaptation. The framework focuses on science-based planning and infrastructure support.
The cooperation will promote sustainable marine fisheries through deep-sea fishing, seaweed cultivation and mapping of migratory routes and fishing grounds. It will also support offshore wind energy through feasibility studies and end-to-end technical guidance.
In addition, the initiative will deploy seawater desalination plants to address freshwater scarcity in coastal areas. Authorities will also establish dedicated ocean climate advisory systems and real-time monitoring infrastructure in Puducherry.
MoES MoU outlines six strategic cooperation areas
The agreement includes permanent coastal management through shoreline monitoring and erosion control measures. It also seeks to upgrade the existing Marine Spatial Planning pilot into a comprehensive model integrating offshore wind and marine resource mapping.
Speaking at the event, Dr. M. Ravichandran said the partnership reflects a commitment to harness science for coastal communities. He stated that integrating MoES expertise with Puducherry’s maritime location will address coastal erosion and expand ocean services. He added that the focus remains on real-time climate monitoring and operationalisation of desalination and renewable energy technologies.
To ensure implementation, both parties will appoint nodal officers and set up Joint Working Groups for specific projects. The MoES MoU will remain valid for five years, with at least annual progress reviews.
Mission Director of the Deep Ocean Mission Dr. M.V. Ramana Murthy, Joint Secretary D. Senthil Pandian, Scientist G and Adviser Dr. Vijay Kumar, National Institute of Ocean Technology Director Dr. Balaji Ramakrishnan and other officials attended the signing ceremony.
