The High Seas (BBNJ) Treaty

The High Seas Treaty - formally the BBNJ Agreement - became binding international law on 17 January 2026, the first legal regime to safeguard biodiversity across the two-thirds of the ocean that lies beyond any single nation's control. Adopted in June 2023 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, it passed its 60-ratification trigger on 19 September 2025 and now lets countries create protected areas on the high seas, share the benefits of marine genetic resources, and vet activities for environmental damage. India has signed the pact but has yet to ratify it.