Andaman Coral Microbiome Study Reveals Biodiversity Potential for India's Blue Economy

Scientists studying coral holobionts in the Andaman Sea have identified rich and previously undescribed microbial diversity, including bacteria with potential applications in biotechnology, biomedicine, bioremediation and environmental monitoring. The findings could open new research and commercial pathways within India's Blue Economy framework, which emphasises sustainable use of marine resources for economic growth and ecological resilience.

Coral holobionts — the combined system of a coral host and all its associated microorganisms — harbour complex microbial communities whose diversity and functional roles are only beginning to be understood. Research in the Andaman Sea has revealed microbial species not previously catalogued, some with properties relevant to enzyme production, natural product discovery and bioremediation of marine pollution. India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands sit at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean-facing seas, giving their coral ecosystems a distinctive biodiversity profile shaped by distinct oceanographic conditions.

India's national Blue Economy policy framework, coordinated by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, identifies coastal ecosystem restoration, sustainable aquaculture and innovation-led maritime industries as strategic priorities. The Andaman coral microbiome findings suggest that blue biotechnology — exploiting the biochemical diversity of marine organisms — is an underutilised pathway within this framework. International experience in countries including Japan, South Korea and Norway demonstrates that marine biotechnology can generate significant industrial and pharmaceutical value from carefully managed access to marine biodiversity.

Realising the economic potential of Andaman coral biodiversity will require sustained investment in marine research capacity, biobank infrastructure and intellectual property frameworks that protect Indian interests while enabling commercial partnerships. The Biological Diversity Act and its regulations governing access and benefit sharing from genetic resources will be relevant to how these discoveries are developed and licensed. Conservation of coral ecosystems from bleaching, sedimentation and ocean acidification is a prerequisite for any long-term blue biotechnology strategy.

Key figure — Andaman Sea corals harbour previously unknown microbial diversity with biotechnology potential