President Macron,
Excellencies,
Namaskar!
I congratulate President Macron on this important global initiative for oceans.
India has always been a maritime civilization.
Our ancient scriptures and literature talk about the gifts of the oceans including marine life.
Today, our security and prosperity are linked to oceans.
India’s ”Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative” contains marine resources as a key pillar.
India supports the French initiative of a ”High Ambition Coalition on Bio-diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction ”.
We hope for a legally binding international treaty this year.
India is committed to eliminating single-use plastic.
India recently undertook a nation-wide awareness campaign to clean plastic and other waste from coastal areas.
Three hundred thousand young people collected almost 13 tons of plastic waste.
I have also directed our Navy to contribute100 ship-days this year to cleaning plastic waste from the seas.
India will be happy to join France in launching a global initiative on single use plastics.
Thank you, President Macron.
*****
DS/VJ
(Release ID: 1797789)
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