India a ‘steady lighthouse’ amid global disruptions: PM at maritime conclave

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India was emerging as a “steady lighthouse” amid global trade disruptions and shifting supply chains, positioning itself as a symbol of strategic autonomy, peace and inclusive growth.

Addressing the Maritime Leaders Conclave and chairing the Global Maritime CEO Forum at India Maritime Week-2025 in Mumbai, Modi said the country’s maritime sector was advancing “with great speed and energy” and called upon investors to spend more on India’s shipping and port infrastructure.

“This is the right time to work and expand in India’s shipping sector,” he told a gathering of CEOs, policymakers and innovators from over 85 countries.

Highlighting the government’s recent reforms, Modi said, “India has replaced over a century-old colonial shipping laws with modern, futuristic laws suited for the 21st century. These reforms have aligned Indian shipping regulations with international conventions, improved ease of doing business, and reduced government intervention.”

He further said the new Coastal Shipping Act would simplify trade procedures, enhance supply chain security and promote balanced coastal development through the ‘One Nation, One Port Process’.

Citing the country’s recent achievements, Modi said India’s first deep-water international trans-shipment hub at Vizhinjam had become operational, handling the world’s largest container vessel earlier this year.

Notably, Kandla Port has launched a megawatt-scale green hydrogen facility, while JNPT’s Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal has doubled its handling capacity through a major FDI partnership with Singapore.

The PM said India’s major ports handled record cargo volumes in 2024–25, with the average vessel turnaround time dropping from 96 hours to 48 hours, making Indian ports among the most efficient in the developing world. “In many aspects, they are performing even better than those in the developed world,” he added.

He announced that large ships have now been granted the status of infrastructure assets, a policy move aimed at boosting ship-building. “India was once a major global centre in ship-building. We are reviving that legacy,” he said, adding that the government would invest nearly Rs 70,000 crore to strengthen domestic shipyards, finance Greenfield and brownfield projects, and create millions of maritime jobs.

Referring to the construction of a new port in Vadhavan in Maharashtra, at a cost of Rs 76,000 crore, Modi said India was working to quadruple the capacity of its major ports and increase its share in containerised cargo.”

Invoking the maritime vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Modi said, “The seas are not boundaries, but gateways to opportunity.”

He also urged global stakeholders to join India’s effort towards building “a sustainable and inclusive maritime future”.