Expanding India Maritime Capacity
Union Minister Sonowal Urges Shipping Corporation to Lead India Shipbuilding Push
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Key Points
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Sonowal said Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aims to place India among the world’s top 10 nations in shipping tonnage by 2030 and among the top five by 2047.
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SCI’s 58-vessel fleet totals 5.26 million deadweight tonnes, and its activities also include passenger and coastal transport, project cargo, ship management and shipbuilding consultancy.
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Sonowal said India intends not only to own ships but to build them domestically: “we are determined to build them, right here at home,” he said, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal urged the Shipping Corporation of India to spearhead the nation's shipbuilding push at the company's 65th anniversary ceremony. Sonowal emphasized that India must build its own vessels domestically to achieve energy security and reduce a $75 billion annual foreign-exchange drain, with foreign carriers currently handling 95% of India's export cargo.
The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 targets placing India in the world's top 10 shipping nations by 2030 and top five by 2047, marking an ambitious shift toward self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
SCI's Fleet and Current Role
The Shipping Corporation of India, founded in 1961 with just 19 vessels, now operates 58 ships totaling 5.26 million deadweight tonnes. NewsOnAir reported that SCI handles tankers, container shipping, gas carriers, offshore services, and passenger transport. The company also provides ship management and shipbuilding consultancy services across India's maritime sector.
Why Domestic Shipbuilding Matters for India
India-flagged vessels carry only 5% of the country's export cargo, while foreign-owned carriers capture the rest. BusinessStandard noted this dependency costs India an estimated $75 billion annually in foreign-exchange outflows. Building ships domestically would retain this capital while strengthening India's energy and trade security amid global shipping disruptions.
India's 2047 Shipping Ambitions
The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 sets two key targets: ranking among the world's top 10 shipping nations by 2030, then climbing to the top five by 2047. Rediff reported that Sonowal stressed India is "determined to build them, right here at home," signaling a shift from importing vessels to manufacturing them domestically. This strategy aligns shipping expansion with domestic industrial growth and job creation in shipyards.
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