Question

How do coastal plains play a very important role in the economic development of India?

Answer 1

Hint: The proportion of various sectors in a country's trade basket is a significant parameter to measure it's contribution to economic development. The Indian subcontinent enjoys an extensive coastline, enriched with minerals and other resources, and has a rich biodiversity which significantly contributes to its growth.

Complete answer:
India has two coastal plains, the western coastal plain along the Arabian sea and the eastern coastal plain along the Bay of Bengal. It is a stretch of over 7500 km, with 13 major sea ports that facilitate India's foreign trade and provides numerous employment opportunities. Waterways are the cheapest means of transportation that supports 95 percent of the foreign trade of India. The Mandavi, Zuari and Cumberjua, Sundarbans, Barak, and backwaters of Kerala are major inland waterways on which substantial transportation takes place.
Kandla port in Kachchi also known as Deendayal port eases the business activities of the industrial belt stretching from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port is a well-protected port that caters to the export and import of the industrial capital of the country i.e. Mumbai, for example, petroleum products from oil exploration installed in Bombay High, seafood items, food grains, cement, containerized cargo, finished products, etc.
Mormugao port in Goa, New Mangalore port in Karnataka, para deep in orissa, Visakhapatnam port which is the deepest landlocked and well-sheltered harbor are major centers for iron ore exports.
Coastal plains also provide economic activities like mining, fishing, salt farming, shipbuilding, metallurgy, manufacturing, etc. India has Exclusive Economic Zones of over 2.3 million sq meters that provide access to marine resources and boost international trade. India is also a mid- journey destination for many ships traveling in the Indian Ocean which is also a source of income for the country.
In a nutshell, Coastal plains are a nerve center of India's international trade and with its productive habitat and rich biodiversity, it expedites the economic development of India.

Note: India has over a 7500km long coastline with 13 major ports. Both inland and overseas waterways play a vital role in trade through sea routes. Coastal plains have rich biodiversity that provides heaps of economic activities.