India Charts New Course in Global Maritime Future: Modi Calls Shipping Sector ‘The Right Place, Right Time’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Maritime Leaders Conclave during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Mumbai, October 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India’s maritime sector is “advancing with great speed and energy,” as he addressed the Maritime Leaders Conclave and chaired the Global Maritime CEO Forum during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai.
Speaking before industry leaders from over 85 countries, Modi said India has replaced over a century-old colonial shipping framework with “modern, futuristic laws suited for the 21st century,” signalling a new era of reform, global confidence, and investment in the sector.
“The year 2025 has been particularly significant for India’s maritime growth,” the Prime Minister said, citing milestones such as the operationalisation of the Vizhinjam deep-water international trans-shipment hub, record cargo handling at major ports, and the commissioning of India’s first megawatt-scale indigenous green hydrogen facility at Kandla Port.
He also announced that Phase 2 of the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal at JNPT has doubled the terminal’s handling capacity, making it the country’s largest container port — backed by the biggest FDI in India’s port infrastructure.
Maritime Reforms and Global Competitiveness
Highlighting recent legislative overhauls, Modi said India has replaced outdated colonial-era shipping laws with modern maritime and coastal shipping acts that promote digitization, strengthen state maritime boards, simplify trade, and align Indian regulations with global standards.
“These laws empower local authorities, reduce government intervention, and improve the ease of doing business,” he said, adding that the “One Nation, One Port Process” will standardize port procedures and drastically cut documentation requirements.
Over the past decade, India’s maritime transformation has been “historic,” the Prime Minister said, pointing to more than 150 initiatives under the Maritime India Vision that have nearly doubled port capacity, cut vessel turnaround time from 96 to 48 hours, and expanded operational waterways from three to 32.
“India’s ports are now counted among the most efficient in the developing world — and in many areas, they are performing better than those in the developed world,” he said, noting that average container dwell time has dropped below three days.
Boost to Shipbuilding and Blue Economy
Calling shipbuilding a top national priority, Modi said the government has granted infrastructure asset status to large vessels — a policy move that will reduce borrowing costs and unlock new financing avenues.
“To propel this reform, the government will invest nearly ₹70,000 crore,” he announced, adding that the initiative will build domestic capacity, support new shipyards, create advanced maritime skills, and generate millions of jobs for India’s youth.
He also highlighted the ₹76,000 crore Vadhavan mega port project in Maharashtra, aimed at quadrupling port capacity and boosting India’s share in global container trade.
“India’s maritime vision aligns with our Blue Economy and Sustainable Coastal Development goals,” Modi said, adding that inclusive maritime growth depends on empowering small island and least developed countries through technology, training, and infrastructure.
India as a Global Maritime Anchor
Amid shifting global trade routes and geopolitical tensions, the Prime Minister said India represents “strategic autonomy, peace, and inclusive growth.”
“When the global seas are rough, the world looks for a steady lighthouse — India is well poised to play that role with strength and stability,” Modi remarked, invoking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s maritime legacy as a symbol of India’s enduring seafaring spirit.
He invited global investors to seize what he called a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to expand in India’s shipping and logistics ecosystem.
“This is the right time to work and expand in India’s shipping sector,” the Prime Minister said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to 100 percent FDI in ports and shipping, and its “Make in India, Make for the World” vision.
The event was attended by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal, Shantanu Thakur, and Kirti Vardhan Singh, alongside hundreds of maritime CEOs, innovators, and global policymakers.
About India Maritime Week 2025
Organised under the theme “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision”, the event runs from October 27–31 and brings together over 1,00,000 delegates, 500+ exhibitors, and 350 international speakers. Anchored in the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, it aims to position India as a global maritime hub and a leader in the Blue Economy.
