Lakshadweep records over 15,000 tonnes of fresh tuna landings, contributing about 14% of total tuna landing in India annually.
Lakshadweep is India’s smallest union territory (with a total area of 32 sq. km.) consisting of 36 islands. The state has 12 atolls, three reefs, five submerged banks and ten inhabited islands. The geographical location of Lakshadweep provides the Indian Navy with great outreach around the western Indian Ocean for patrolling and surveillance. Consequently, it can be used to boost the power projection capabilities of the Navy.
The abundance of Lakshadweep Islands has provided India with 20,000 sq. km. of territorial waters and 400,000 sq. km. of Economic Zone Exclusive (EEZ). There are valuable fisheries and mineral resources in the lagoons, and the EEZ around the Lakshadweep Islands are of enormous economic significance.
In 2020, the government announced optical fibre cable (OFC) connectivity in Lakshadweep. In October 2021, the submarine optical fibre cable (OFC) project was awarded to Japanese conglomerate NEC’s Indian subsidiary. By 2023-24, the Rs. 1,072 crore (US$ 140.11 million) submarine OFC project is expected to be completed, which will improve online education and e-medicine, and allow local people new opportunities in the field of education, employment and business.
In FY24, the exports from Lakshadweep stood at US$ 0.03 million.
As of March 2024, Lakshadweep had a total installed power generation capacity of 31.80 MW.
In the Budget 2024-25, the power sector of Lakshadweep was allocated Rs. 185.80 crore (US$ 22.44 million).
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an independent institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is building an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant with a 65kW capacity in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep. This plant will supply energy to a 1 lakh litre per day desalination facility that uses Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) to turn seawater into potable water.
In April 2022, the Lakshadweep Administration declared the Wednesday of every week as a 'Cycle Day' for government employees, which will help curb pollution and decrease the carbon footprint of the union territory.
In Lakshadweep, the estimated potential of marine fishery resources is about one lakh tonnes of tuna.
In Lakshadweep, tourism is one of the few areas that can play a vital role in generating revenue, jobs and overall island growth.
In the Budget 2024-25, agriculture and allied activities were allocated Rs. 6.55 crore (US$ 0.79 million).
In July 2021, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) was launched in Lakshadweep, which will help 12,320 beneficiary families. The scheme will give an annual healthcare benefit of up to Rs. 5 lakh (US$ 6,541) for every eligible family.