¨     The world’s first legally binding High Seas treaty came into force on 17 January, 2026. This agreement sets global rules to protect oceans beyond national boundaries.

¨     So far, 83 countries have ratified this treaty. India has signed this agreement, but has not yet ratified it.
¨     These international water areas cover almost half of the planet. This treaty is being seen as a historic step to deal with overfishing, pollution, climate change and threats to deep-sea ecosystems.
¨     This treaty is officially known as the ‘Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction’ (BBNJ Agreement). It is a legally binding United Nations treaty.
"High Seas"
¨     It covers those marine areas which are outside national water limits (which are called "open sea" or "High Seas"). Along with this, it also includes the international seabed area.
¨     It is a global commons, which all countries can use for legitimate international purposes such as navigation, overflight, laying of undersea cables and pipelines, etc. It constitutes more than two-thirds of the ocean surface.
About the BBNJ Agreement
¨     It was adopted in 2023 by the “Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)” held under the auspices of the United Nations.
¨     It is the third implementing agreement of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Apart from this, the other two agreements are the 1994 Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of UNCLOS and the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement.
¨     According to the 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas, those parts of the sea which are not included in the territorial sea or internal waters of any country are known as the High Seas.