India, June 10 -- India is in the process of ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, or the High Seas Treaty, Union minister of state for earth sciences Jitendra Singh said at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) on Tuesday.

"India has signed the BBNJ Agreement and is currently in the process of ratification. This step underscores our commitment to conserving marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction," the minister said at the event in France's Nice.

The BBNJ is a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

During the conference, India also proposed six strategic initiatives to con...