<p>The Blue Economy (BE) harnesses the ocean resources for economic growth and improved livelihoods, without harming the ocean health, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. India, with 7,500 km² of coastline and a significant coastal population, is highly reliant on the BE for its coastal success. This study assesses the nine Indian coastal states based on BE parameters, tracking both their performance and progress in Blue Economy outcomes over seven years (2015–16 to 2022–23). Coastal water quality, mangrove density and beach litter are some of the key variables used in the study. Among the Indian states, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha show marked improvements in ecosystem health, attributed to targeted policy measures and strong regulatory frameworks. In contrast, industrialised states like Maharashtra and Gujarat consistently score low, highlighting the limited influence of marine sectors within their broader economies and ongoing environmental challenges. Tourism-led economies like Goa achieve high sustainability outcomes through focused governance and effective conservation policies. The analysis underscores the importance of indicator selection, and hence, three different case scenarios on fishing sustainability have been studied based on the need. The study states that integrated, region-specific strategies and effective governance are essential to translate ecological endowments into sustainable coastal development, especially in light of pronounced intra-state differences in BE performance.</p>