India Signs Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement To Protect Marine Biodiversity on High Seas

India has signed an international agreement to protect marine biodiversity on the high seas. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar signed the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement at the United Nations Headquarters in New York yesterday. 

In a social media post, Dr. Jaishankar said that India is proud to join the BBNJ Agreement, which is an important step towards



ensuring that the oceans remain healthy and resilient.

The agreement under the Law of the Seas Treaty seeks to ensure that marine life is conserved and used in a sustainable manner on the high seas, which is beyond nations’ territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone that could extend up to 200 nautical miles or 370 km from the shores.