Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed the Indian Maritime University, highlighting its rise as a top global varsity. He noted its transformation to a research hub with strong industry links, increased patents, and a surge in student enrolment.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday reviewed the progress of the Indian Maritime University (IMU), with the Ministry highlighting the expansion of India's maritime education ecosystem over the past 12 years. The IMU has emerged among the world's leading maritime universities while strengthening industry partnerships, research, innovation and workforce development in line with the country's long-term maritime ambitions.
IMU's Transformation into a Global Leader
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IMU has evolved from a predominantly classroom-based institution into a modern maritime university with a strong emphasis on research, innovation and industry collaboration. Closer engagement with the maritime industry has helped align academic programmes with evolving sectoral requirements while making curricula more industry-oriented and future-ready. IMU has significantly strengthened its academic infrastructure through modern libraries, advanced simulators and enhanced recreational facilities. Innovation outcomes have also improved substantially, with the number of patents increasing from one to seven."
The Union Minister said the Indian Maritime University has emerged as one of the world's top 10 maritime universities and the highest-ranked maritime university in India over the past 12 years. He said the university's transformation from a classroom-centric institution into a hub of research, innovation and industry collaboration reflected the government's focus on strengthening maritime education and building a globally competitive maritime workforce.
He added that IMU had aligned its academic programmes with industry requirements while integrating the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 into its curriculum. The meeting also highlighted the university's expanding engagement with state maritime boards and private industry partners to deliver demand-driven skill development programmes.
Milestones in Growth and Engagement
Sonowal said sustained investments had strengthened IMU's infrastructure through modern libraries, advanced simulators and improved student facilities while fostering a culture of innovation, reflected in the increase in patents from one to seven.
Pointing to the growing appeal of maritime education, Sonowal said registrations for the IMU Common Entrance Test (IMU-CET) had risen from 14,751 in 2014 to 73,395. He also noted an 18-fold increase in girl cadet enrolment, describing it as a significant milestone in making the maritime sector more inclusive and accessible.
The Union Minister said industry engagement had expanded substantially over the past decade. Technical consultancy undertaken by IMU's core faculty increased from three projects worth Rs 63.94 lakh in 2014 to 16 projects valued at Rs 10.78 crore. Since 2021, the university has established 22 domestic and four international industry partnerships, along with 20 domestic and 14 international academic collaborations, strengthening its global academic and industry network.
Building Human Capital for India's Maritime Future
"Human capital is the foundation of India's maritime future. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are building a robust ecosystem where industrial training institutes, shipyards, academia and industry work together to create a world-class workforce that will drive India's shipbuilding ambitions and realise the vision of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047," Sonowal said.
Stressing that skilled human resources would be the cornerstone of India's emergence as a global shipbuilding powerhouse, the Union Minister said continuous investments in maritime education, practical training and industry-oriented skilling were essential to achieving the country's long-term maritime goals. He also proposed organising a nationwide Maritime Skilling Fair to create greater awareness among young people about career opportunities in the maritime sector and expand the talent pipeline for India's growing blue economy.
Next Phase of Growth
"The next phase of IMU's growth will be defined by world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge research and future-ready skilling. We will modernise our Mumbai Port and Kolkata Port campuses, establish Centres of Excellence in Shipbuilding and Maritime Skills, deepen research partnerships with industry and leading global institutions, and introduce specialised training in emerging technologies. These initiatives, aligned with Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, will strengthen India's position as a global hub for maritime education, innovation and a highly skilled workforce," Sonowal said.
Calling for coordinated efforts across government, academia and industry, Sonowal urged all stakeholders to work with renewed urgency to achieve India's maritime and shipbuilding targets and substantially improve the country's position in global shipbuilding.
The meeting was attended by Vijay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, IMU Chairperson Malini V Shankar and other senior officials. (ANI)
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