Coastal Militarization and Fishing Livelihoods in India (2018–2025)

Abstract

The intensification of coastal militarization in India between 2018 and 2025 reflects a broader transformation in ocean governance shaped by geopolitical competition, economic restructuring also including environmental pressures. While the expansion of maritime surveillance and security infrastructure is justified in terms of safeguarding sovereignty, combating illegal fishing, and ensuring maritime order, it has produced uneven and often exclusionary outcomes for small-scale fishing communities. This paper argues that coastal militarization functions as a mechanism of control over marine commons, restructuring access, authority, and legitimacy in ways that marginalize artisanal fishers. Drawing upon political ecology (Bryant & Bailey, 1997), commons theory (Ostrom, 2011), and the governability framework (Bavinck et al., 2018), the study conceptualizes fisheries as contested socio-political spaces characterized by “social struggle” (Bavinck, Jentoft, & Scholtens, 2018). Integrating a human rights-based approach (OHCHR, 2006; FAO, 2015) and the concept of Blue Justice (UN SDGs, 2019), the paper demonstrates how securitization contributes to the criminalization, dispossession, and socio-economic precarity of small-scale fishers. It concludes by advocating for a reconfiguration of coastal governance that reconciles security imperatives with principles of equity, sustainability, and participatory justice.

Introduction

India’s coastal ecosystems are vital for livelihoods, food security, and cultural systems, especially for small-scale fishing communities traditionally governed through informal, community-based institutions. However, since 2018, coastal governance has shifted toward militarization and securitization due to Indo-Pacific geopolitical priorities, increased surveillance, and regulatory control. At the same time, “blue economy” initiatives have promoted commercialization, often marginalizing traditional users and transforming coastal areas into contested spaces shaped by state and market power.

Using political ecology, the paper shows how governance is influenced by power, inequality, and economic interests, often prioritizing state and corporate actors over local communities. Commons theory highlights that traditional systems can sustainably manage resources, but militarization undermines their flexibility and legitimacy. A human rights-based approach and the concept of Blue Justice emphasize the need for equity, participation, and protection of livelihoods, which remain inadequately implemented.

Militarization has restructured marine spaces through restricted zones, surveillance technologies, and stricter regulations, limiting access for small-scale fishers and increasing socio-economic vulnerability. It also contributes to the criminalization of fishing communities, where fishers are treated as violators rather than resource custodians, leading to economic loss, social marginalization, and conflict.

The political economy of fisheries further deepens inequality, as globalization, export-oriented growth, and mechanized fishing favor large-scale operators while small-scale fishers face exclusion and environmental decline.

The paper concludes that current governance creates tensions between security, economic growth, and social justice. It calls for more inclusive, participatory, and rights-based policies, alongside interdisciplinary research, to balance sustainability, equity, and livelihood security in India’s increasingly militarized coastal regions.

Conclusion

Coastal militarization in India reflects a broader transformation in ocean governance driven by the convergence of security imperatives, economic interests, and environmental challenges. While these developments aim to enhance maritime control and sustainability, they have disproportionately affected small-scale fishing communities, leading to restricted access, criminalization, and growing socio-economic marginalization. The shift toward securitized governance has redefined marine spaces as zones of surveillance and regulation, often undermining traditional systems of resource management and eroding the rights and agency of local communities. By drawing on political ecology, commons theory, and human rights-based approaches, this paper highlights that coastal governance is deeply political and contested. The notion of Blue Justice offers a fundamental framework to overcome these disparities by stressing fairness, participation, and acknowledgment in governance processes. Moving forward, achieving sustainability in India’s coastal regions will require balancing security with social justice through more inclusive, participatory, and rights-based approaches. In addition, there is a pressing need to strengthen institutional accountability, integrate local knowledge systems into policy frameworks, and ensure that development initiatives do not come at the cost of vulnerable communities. Addressing these challenges requires not only policy reform but also a shift in perspective from viewing fishers as subjects of control to recognizing them as key stakeholders and custodians of marine ecosystems. Ensuring that the voices and livelihoods of small-scale fishers remain integral to government is vital for establishing a resilient, egalitarian, and sustainable coastal future.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Richa Singh, Jyotika Tekchandani. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.