Page 29 - NIS English 1-15 April, 2026

Cover Story
National Maritime Day Special

India is poised to become
a global leader in the
maritime sector with a
planned investment of

eight trillion rupees and
the creation of 15 million
jobs by 2047. Our Maritime

Amrit Kaal vision is based
on prosperity, sustainability,
and pride in our maritime
heritage, which is fully
aligned with Prime

Minister Narendra
Modi’s vision of a
Viksit Bharat 2047.

Sarbananda Sonowal,
Union Minister of Ports,
Shipping and Waterways

whether on land, in the air, in the deep sea, or in the Ridge are adding to India’s pride.
vast expanse of space. Continuous reforms are un- The private sector has also played a significant
derway to achieve this. For a long time, connectivity role in elevating the country’s maritime sector to
infrastructure along the border and coastline was new heights. Thousands of crores of rupees have
neglected. Unprecedented progress has been made been invested in the last 10-11 years under pub-
in this regard in the last ten years. In the past decade, lic-private partnerships. This partnership has not
India has also focused on its remote islands. Even only upgraded ports to global standards but also
those uninhabited islands are being continuously made them future-ready. Private sector participa-
monitored. Furthermore, new identities are being tion has fostered both innovation and capacity.
created for these islands and they are being given Certainly, India has a long coastline, strategic global
new names. Seamounts on the seabed in the Indian trade routes, world-class ports, and a broad and
Ocean are also being named. In 2024, on India’s ambitious vision for the Blue Economy. Today, India
initiative, an international organization has named possesses infrastructure, innovation, and clear vision.
five such locations. In the Indian Ocean, Ashoka This sector is gaining new momentum from the new
Seamount, Harshvardhan Seamount, Rajaraja Chola ecosystem, and the world is participating in India’s
Seamount, Kalpataru Ridge, and Chandragupta resurgent maritime development journey. n

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