48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy

2025 Conference - Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim

For the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy, the Stockton Center for International Law at the United States Naval War College joined Gujarat Maritime University and the World Maritime University–Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute in convening the conference in New Delhi, India, from 9–12 September 2025. Hosted at The Ashok Hotel, COLP 48 marked a historic first for the series as the conference was held in the Indian subcontinent for the first time. The theme of the conference was “Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim.”

Reflecting the strategic and legal importance of the Indian Ocean region, the conference brought together distinguished scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to consider how developing states are shaping contemporary oceans law and policy. The conference addressed a wide range of issues, including the triple planetary crisis, the interests of small island developing states, international trade and shipping, critical ocean infrastructure, autonomous shipping, seabed mineral mining, maritime security, fisheries and food security, maritime boundaries, and the future of ocean governance in the Indian Ocean.

Featured participants included Judge Neeru Chadha, Dr. M. Ravichandran, Ambassador Hasanthi Dissanayake, Dato’ Monaliza binti Suhaimi, Professor James Kraska, Professor Ronán Long, Dr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Ambassador Arif Havas Oegroseno, Charlie Garnjana-Goonchorn, and Professor Maximo Q. Mejia.