You are here: Home / John J Vachaparambil
John J Vachaparambil

John J Vachaparambil

Associate Fellow

Areas of Research

  • Public International Maritime Law
  • International Environmental Law
  • Legal facets of IUU Fishing
  • Legal aspects of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction
  • Legal aspects and interface-structures of the IMO’s legal committee
  • Legal facets of climate change
  •  Legal aspects of ocean governance in the Polar regions

Experience

  • Associate Fellow, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi (since September 2021)
  • Former Junior Advocate, MBR Homes Pvt Ltd. Bangalore, Karnataka (August 2018 to June 2019)
  • Former Junior Legal Researcher, Jayashankar and Manu Associates, Kochi, Kerala (November 2017 to March 2018)

Education

  • Diploma, 12th Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (RoK), and Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Yeosu, Republic of Korea (Oct 2025).
  • Certificate Course, Exclusive Economic Zone Protection Officers Course, Royal Navy, UK (2024).
  • Certificate Course, Oceans Law and Policy, Gujarat Maritime University, Ahmedabad (2022)
  • LLM, Infrastructure and Business Law (Super Specialisation – Sustainable Marine and
    Offshore Infrastructure Governance) – TERI School of Advanced Studies (SAS), New Delhi (2021)
  • BA-LLB (Hons), Christ University, Bangalore, Karnataka (2017)

Presentations

  • Presented on ‘Climate-Change-Induced Migration of Fish Stocks: Legal Implications for India’ during the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP 48), co-organised by the GMU, WMU, and US Naval War College at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi, Sept 2025.
  • Presented on Coral Reefs and Marine Protected Areas: Challenges and Opportunities for India during the National Training Programme on ‘Climate Change with reference to Marine Ecosystems, Biodiversity Loss and Marine Pollution’ at the International Centre for Environmental Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED), Jaipur, Jan 2025.
  • Presented on IUU Fishing in the IOR: Legal Implications for India at the Indo-Pacific Forum 2024 held online by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), Nepal, Dec 2024.
  • Presented on Coral Reefs and Protected Areas: Challenges and Opportunities for Conservation at the Workshop on ‘Blue Economy: Audit of Marine Fisheries and Ecosystem Conservation Measures’ at International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED), Jaipur, Aug 2024.
  • Presented on Coastal Inundation and Salinisation Implications Upon Coastlines, Baselines and Maritime Zones at the 2nd NMF-KAS Symposium Addressing ‘Climate Change Induced Threats to National and Regional Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific (Including Maritime Crime, Terrorism, and State-on-State Conflict)’ at the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi, Aug 2023.
  • Presented on the Maritime Diplomacy-Perspectives from India at the Workshop on the ‘Delimitation of International Maritime Borders: Disputes, Challenges, and Solutions in a Comparative Perspective’ at University of Haifa, Israel, Dec 2022.

All Publications

NMF PublicationsOther PublicationsBook Chapters
  1. John J Vachaparambil, “IDENTIFYING THE IMPLICATIONS OF UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING FOR INDIA”, Maritime Perspectives 2024, Vol I. (Click here to download)
  2. John J Vachaparambil, “EXAMINING INDIA’S RATIONALE FOR NON-ACCESSION: CAPE TOWN AGREEMENT, 2012 (Agreement on Safety of Fishing Vessels)”, Maritime Perspectives 2024, Vol I. (Click here to download)
/by

LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES FOR ENSURING SUSTAINABLE MARINE FISHERIES IN INDIA

Author:     Keywords: MARINE FISHERIES, MFRAs, RFMOs, MARITIME ZONES, IUU FISHING, SDG This research-article examines the legal and institutional challenges that hinder India’s efforts to ensure sustainable marine fisheries.  It highlights the multiplicity of ministries involved, overlapping mandates, conflicting regulations, the absence of a cohesive national framework, and the urgent need for harmonisation and modernisation. […]
/by

IORA AT 28: INDIA’S CHAIRMANSHIP AND THE PATH FORWARD

Author: Keywords: Regional Cooperation, Maritime Security, Blue Economy, Fisheries Management, Sustainable Development In 1995, former (Late) President Nelson Mandela of the Republic of South Africa during his visit to India said, “The natural urge of the facts of history and geography should broaden itself to include the concept of an Indian Ocean Rim for socio-economic cooperation […]
Ships Could Bring Invasive Species to Antarctica, Study Warns - EcoWatch
/by

ASSESSING INDIA’S ROLE IN THE CONSERVATION OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN ANTARCTICA

Author: Abstract        After nearly four decades of acceding to the Antarctic Treaty,[1] the Parliament of India took a significant step on 06 August 2022, by passing the Indian Antarctic Act, 2022.[2]  Last year, Dr Jitendra Singh, the Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, introduced the Bill (No.95 of 2022) in the Parliament,[3] emphasizing […]
ICG ship and ACV apprehends Bangladeshi poachers
/by

THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING

Author: In December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly in its annual resolution on sustainable fisheries declared 05 June as the ‘International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing’.  The UN also declared 2022 as the ‘International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture’ (IYAFA) (Fig 1).[1]  With disruptive, illegal, unreported and unregulated […]
  1. John J Vachaparambil and Purnima Malik, “Introduction to the Special Issue”, Maritime Affairs Summer 2022 Special Issue on UNCLOS, Taylor & Francis, 06 October 2022, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09733159.2022.2124027
  2. John J Vachaparambil, “Can undertaking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India, help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?”, Latest News, 26 July 2021,
    https://www.latestlaws.com/articles/can-undertaking-corporate-social-responsibility-csr-in-india-help-achieve-the-various-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs/ 
  3. John J Vachaparambil, “Goal 14 of the SDGs v. Indian Naval Exercises”, Young Influx, 01 May 2021,
    https://www.younginflux.com/goal-14-of-the-sdgs-v-indian-naval-exercises/
  4. John J Vachaparambil, “India needs to prevent wildlife accidents to achieve Goal 15 of the SDGs”, Delhi Post News, 08 March 2021,
    https://delhipostnews.com/india-needs-to-prevent-wildlife-accidents-to-achieve-goal-15-of-the-sdgs/
  5. John J Vachaparambil, “Should betting be legalized in India?”, LEX SCRIPTA Penning the Change: Christ University, No.3, (2014), pp.54-56.
  • Vachaparambil, Palavalsa. (2025). Beyond Cultural Sites: Integrating Natural and Mixed Heritage Sites into Project MAUSAM. In Suraj Palavalsa and Pradeep Chauhan (Eds.) Operationalising PROJECT MAUSAM – Building India’s Maritime Consciousness and Regional Leadership. (pp 77-102) New Delhi: National Maritime Foundation. (ISBN 978-81-994377-60)
  • Palavalsa, Vachaparambil. (2025). Legal and Institutional Framework for Project MAUSAM. In Suraj Palavalsa and Pradeep Chauhan (Eds.) Operationalising PROJECT MAUSAM – Building India’s Maritime Consciousness and Regional Leadership. (pp 261-277) New Delhi: National Maritime Foundation. (ISBN 978-81-994377-60)

Important Links

MembershipCurrent FacultyAreas of Research InterestArticlesMaking WavesInternshipsWrite for UsPrivacy PolicyCookie Policy

Follow Us

Contact Us

T: +91 11 26156520, 26154901


© Copyright - National Maritime Foundation

We use cookies and other tracking technologies on our websites to help us enhance your user experience on our website, analyze and improve our services and learn what information interests you. By continuing to browse this website it is assumed you agree with our Privacy Policy

OKLearn More