Addressing the fourth edition of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, Amit Shah, Union Home & Cooperation Minister, outlined a comprehensive roadmap to transform India into a global maritime power by 2047. He described the moment as “India’s Maritime Moment”, emphasising that reforms over the past decade have placed India firmly on the global maritime map.
Shah highlighted that India’s coastline of more than 11,000 km, covering 13 coastal states and union territories, contributes around 60 per cent of the national GDP and encompasses an Exclusive Economic Zone of 23.7 lakh sq km, factors the government intends to leverage for maritime growth. Key strategic projects mentioned include the Great Nicobar Island Development Project (USD 5 billion) and Vadhavan Port (USD 10 billion), both intended to significantly boost India’s maritime trade and port-handling capacity.
Under the initiative, reforms to maritime legislation and infrastructure are accelerating. The government cited the ongoing implementation of the Sagarmala Programme, with 839 projects identified worth approximately USD 70 billion. So far, 272 projects worth USD 17 billion have been completed. The vision also sets a target of expanding port-handling capacity to 10,000 million metric tons annually, and making India one of the top-five shipbuilding nations globally.
Focus is also on building a “Blue and Green” maritime economy. Coastal shipping volumes have reportedly increased by 118 % and cargo handling by 150 % over the past decade, and the government emphasised sustainability as central to future growth.
With India positioning itself as a key node between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, the announced maritime vision seeks to combine infrastructure, trade, security and environmental goals into a long-term strategy intended to be realised by 2047.
