India eyes global maritime leader role with Rs 80 lakh crore vision

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated India will become a global maritime leader under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which projects attracting over Rs 80 lakh crore in investment and generating 1.5 crore jobs in the coming years.

Maritime Vision 2047: A Path to Global Leadership

India will regain its maritime supremacy and shall become the global maritime leader once again under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said Saturday.

India's maritime sector is projected to attract investment worth over Rs 80 lakhs crore and generate 1.5 crore jobs in the coming years, the Union minister said, citing the ambitious 2047 maritime vision.

"Guided by the Maritime Amrit Bharat Vision 2047, launched by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's maritime sector is projected to attract investment worth over 80 lakhs crore and generate 1.5 crore jobs in the coming years," he said, speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for Phase 2 of Vizhinjam Port.

Kerala: A Maritime Gateway to the World

"As a result of this investment, India's long-lost maritime supremacy will be regained and we shall be the global maritime leader once again. With world-class port, modern shipping, strong shipbuilding and vibrant inland waterways, Kerala is well positioned to play a leadership role in India's maritime future," Sonowal said.

About Kerala, he said, it is a state whose destiny has always been closely interwined with the sea. "From ancient maritime trade routes to modern global shipping lines, Kerala has remained a gateway between India and the world."

"Kerala occupies a very special place in this national maritime transformation. Its strategic location on major East-West shipping routes, its skilled human resources, and its strong institutional capacity make it a maritime and logistic hub on the Western coast," he added.

Decade of Growth in India's Maritime Sector

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sonowal said India's maritime sector has undergone a fundamental transformation since 2014.

"Port shipping, shipbuilding, coastal shipping, and inland waterways are no longer treated as isolated segment, but as a unified engine of national growth, logistic efficiency, and global competitiveness," he said, highlighting growth in each sector. Port capacity and coastal cargo have doubled over the past decade, he said. The number of Indian seafarers has increased three times, and the number of maritime cruise passengers has gone up four times, the cruise sector has expanded five times, cargo movement on inland waterways has increased eight times, and the number of operational national waterways has increased 10 times, the Union Minister said.

Focus on Vizhinjam Port

Speaking of Vizhinjam Port, he said since its dedication to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2025, the port has so far handled over 710 vessels, handling more than 1.51 million TEUs.

Operating at over 130 per cent capacity utilization, Vizhinjam crossed the 1 million-TEU milestone well ahead of projection and established direct connectivity with Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Far East, Sonowal said in his address.

"On completion, Vizhinjam will have one of India's longest continuous container part of two kilometers, enhanced backwater protection, state-of-the-art automation, and the capability to handle next generation vessel of up to 28,000 TEUs...Install capacity will rise from 1 million tubes to 3 million tubes with the potential to up to 5.7 million tubes annually," the minister added. (ANI)

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