Can India become the world’s cleanest ship recycler too?

India leads with over a third of the global ship recycling market. It ratified the Hong Kong Convention before it was compulsory. India’s rise to the top of global ship recycling is a policy triumph, but one shadowed by serious environmental concerns. Often, the subject strays into ‘industry vs environment’ debate. But, there are different dimensions to the story that merit layered understanding. It needs examining why the world outsources its most toxic maritime work to India, and what sustainable alternatives exist. The tide that brings old vessels to India at Alang’s shore is an opportunity: to prove that the world's biggest ship recycler can be its cleanest and safest.