Amit Shah said India aims to rank among the world’s top five shipbuilding nations, with plans to triple its cargo handling capacity to 10,000 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) by developing a network of modern deep-draft ports….reports Asian Lite News
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, October 27, said the $5 billion Great Nicobar Island Development Project will significantly expand India’s maritime trade and position the country as a global maritime power.
Speaking at the inauguration of India Maritime Week 2025 in New Delhi, Shah said India’s democratic stability, naval capabilities, and strategic positioning have helped bridge the gap between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South.
“The $5 billion Great Nicobar project will increase the maritime world trade many times,” Shah said, calling it one of India’s most transformative coastal development efforts.
The ambitious infrastructure project, launched in 2021, aims to turn the remote island in the Bay of Bengal into a key logistics and trade hub.
Reiterating that India believes in cooperation, not competition, Shah said the maritime sector offers investment opportunities worth ₹10 lakh crore, backed by reforms that have streamlined governance and opened up vast potential for private participation.
India, he said, is targeting a place among the top five shipbuilding nations, with plans to triple cargo handling capacity to 10,000 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) through the development of deep-draft ports.
Shah also highlighted the upcoming Vadhavan Port near Mumbai—an investment of $10 billion—which, he claimed, will be among the world’s top 10 ports from day one of operation.
“The structural reforms carried out by the central government have made India an emerging power in the global maritime arena,” he said. “We stand at the cusp of creating a new maritime history. The Gateway of India will soon become a Gateway to the World through initiatives like India Maritime Week.”
The India Maritime Week 2025, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in collaboration with the Indian Ports Association, is a five-day event running from October 27 to 31. Now in its fourth edition, the event showcases the latest advancements in maritime innovation, trade, and sustainability.
According to Vijay Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry, the event has drawn 1.5 lakh registrations from 11 countriesand will feature over 350 international speakers. He said 680 investment agreements worth more than ₹10 crore each are expected to be signed across various sub-sectors, potentially creating 7 lakh new jobs.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, addressing the gathering, said that peace, law, and order are the foundation of investment and growth. He credited the progress in internal security and stability to Shah’s leadership at the Home Ministry, which he said has fostered a safer environment for maritime expansion and investment.
