On the morning of August 25th, the Research Institute for Indian Ocean Economies at Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (YUFE) officially released the Indian Ocean Blue Economy Index (2025). The launch took place during the 9th International Conference on "China and the Indian Ocean Region: Common Development" and the 2nd roundtable of the China-Indian Ocean Blue Economy Experts Network (CIOBEN), held in Kunming.

The report is the world's first comprehensive blue economy assessment focused on the 36 littoral states of the Indian Ocean. It provides a "panoramic" reference for policymaking and international cooperation by quantitatively ranking the development of the region's blue economy across three key dimensions: economic contribution, social equity, and ecological health.

According to the report, the Indian Ocean region's blue economy is currently in a phase of "medium sustainability." The average scores of the 36 countries show a bell-shaped distribution, with Djibouti ranking highest at 5.08 and Pakistan lowest at 2.58; no country scored above 6. Among the nations assessed, 15 achieved a "Good" rating, while 21 were in the "Poor" range, indicating that while the region has enormous development potential, it also faces significant systemic risks.

The study highlights three key trends: first, small island nations are "leapfrogging" larger economies; second, resource-rich nations exhibit a mix of significant strengths and weaknesses; and third, there is an urgent need for regional cooperation. In response, the institute has proposed the development of a regional data-sharing platform through CIOBEN to standardize metrics and provide technical training and financial assistance to developing countries.

"Our goal is to transform the concept of the blue economy into a practical and comparable policy tool through a scientific, inclusive, and actionable set of indicators," stated a spokesperson for the institute. The 24 sub-indicators used in the index are all aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They measure both "hard" data, such as the fishery sector's contribution to GDP and vessel exports, and "soft" dimensions, including the livelihoods of artisanal fishers, tsunami warning coverage, and the protection of iconic species.

The China-Indian Ocean Blue Economy Experts Network (CIOBEN) was initiated and established by YUFE's Research Institute for Indian Ocean Economies in August 2023. Its members include the host institute, India's School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (SIS), Pakistan's Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Myanmar's Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD), Sri Lanka's Pathfinder Foundation (PF), and Bangladesh's Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). CIOBEN aims to build a multi-level, international platform for academic exchange and collaborative research to support the common development of China and the Indian Ocean rim countries. The project was listed as an official outcome of the 2nd China-Indian Ocean Region Development Cooperation Forum and was also included as a cooperation platform established under the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Think tank representatives from countries including China, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Australia attended the conference and witnessed the report's launch.