SEA SPREAD

A vast expanse India's land area is 3.28 million sq km. Another 2.2 million sq km of sea forms our Exclusive Economic Zone. This could grow to 2.54 million sq km as the continental shelf is delineated and claimed with the International Seabed Authority. Sea-borne trade 90 per cent of India's trade by volume and 77 per cent by value moves by sea. Merchant fleet There are 1,071 registered Indian merchant vessels, adding up to a gross registered tonnage of 10.4 million tonnes. Ports India has 13 major ports and 185 minor ports, and is fully compliant with the International Ship and Port Security code. Oil import dependency Currently 74 per cent, this will grow to 88 per cent (Hydrocarbon Vision 2020). Coastline and islands India has a 7,516-km-long coastline. This includes 27 islands in the Lakshadweep group and 572 islands (only 36 of which are inhabited) in the Andaman & Nicobar chain. The latter sprawls 800 km north-to-south, with the northernmost island just 20 km from Myanmar's Coco Islands, and the southern tip 150 km from Indonesia's Aceh province.