Artificial Intelligence (AI) is seen as crucial for enhancing India’s maritime management, disaster response systems, marine livelihoods, and blue economy growth. This discussion occurred at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 during a panel session titled ‘AI for Oceans of Tomorrow: Data, Models, and Governance’. Dr. M. Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, emphasized the significant role oceans play in climate regulation, disaster risk reduction, food security, and livelihoods.
According to Dr. Mohapatra, India possesses strong national capabilities in ocean observation, cyclone forecasting, marine data systems, and early warning services. He highlighted that technological advancements have notably reduced loss of life and property during extreme weather events. Dr. Mohapatra stressed the importance of data-driven and AI-enabled models in complementing traditional physical models, especially in addressing climate change impacts like ocean warming, acidification, and rising sea levels.
Norway’s Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, highlighted the growing partnership between India and Norway in ocean-related areas and the blue economy. Stener mentioned that AI, when developed on open, interoperable, and trustworthy digital foundations, can significantly improve fisheries management, shipping efficiency, port operations, and coastal resilience. She also noted that India’s leadership in digital public infrastructure positions it well to contribute to a global digital ocean framework based on open data, shared standards, and responsible digital governance.
Panelists pointed out that India has the potential to lead the Global South in developing digital ocean infrastructure integrating open data, AI-driven intelligence, and robust governance frameworks. They emphasized the essential role of AI in enhancing marine livelihoods, reducing operational costs, and enabling timely, data-driven decision-making across all sectors of the blue economy.
