Narendra Modi addresses Maritime Leaders Conclave at India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai

Narendra Modi addressed the Maritime Leaders Conclave and chaired the Global Maritime CEO Forum at India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, Maharashtra today. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister welcomed all participants to the Global Maritime Leaders Conclave. He remarked that the event began in Mumbai in 2016 and expressed happiness that it has now evolved into a global summit. Shri Modi highlighted that participation from over 85 countries sends a strong message. He noted the presence of CEOs of major shipping giants, startups, policymakers, and innovators, all gathered at the event. He further acknowledged the attendance of representatives from small island nations and stated that their collective vision has significantly enhanced the synergy and energy of the summit.

Noting that several projects related to the shipping sector have been launched at the conclave, Shri Modi highlighted that Memorandums of Understanding worth lakhs of crores of rupees have also been signed in the shipping sector. The Prime Minister remarked that this reflects the global confidence in India’s maritime capabilities, adding that the presence of participants at the event stands as a symbol of their common commitment.

“In the 21st century, India’s maritime sector is advancing with great speed and energy”, emphasised the Prime Minister highlighting that the year 2025 has been particularly significant for the sector and shared key achievements. He remarked that Vizhinjam Port, India’s first deep-water international trans-shipment hub, is now operational, noting that the world’s largest container vessel recently arrived at the port, marking a proud moment for every Indian. Shri Modi further stated that in 2024–25, India’s major ports have handled the highest cargo volumes ever, setting a new record. He announced that for the first time, an Indian port has launched a megawatt-scale indigenous green hydrogen facility, an achievement credited to Kandla Port. He added that another major milestone has been achieved at JNPT, where Phase 2 of the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal has commenced. “This has doubled the terminal’s handling capacity, making it India’s largest container port”, said the Prime Minister, emphasizing that this was made possible due to the largest FDI in India’s port infrastructure and expressed special gratitude to partners from Singapore for their contribution.

Prime Minister stated that this year, India has taken major steps towards next-generation reforms in the maritime sector. “The colonial shipping laws, over a century old, have been replaced with modern and futuristic legislation suited for the 21st century”, said the Prime Minister, remarking that these new laws empower State Maritime Boards, strengthen safety and sustainability, and expand digitization in port management. 

Further noting that under the Merchant Shipping Act, Indian laws have been globally aligned with international conventions, Shri Modi said, this alignment has enhanced trust in safety standards, improved ease of doing business, and reduced government intervention. He expressed confidence that these efforts will further boost the confidence of stakeholders and investors.

Prime Minister stated that the Coastal Shipping Act has been designed to simplify trade and strengthen supply chain security. He emphasized that the Act ensures balanced development along India’s extensive coastline. Highlighting the One Nation, One Port Process, which will standardize port-related procedures and significantly reduce documentation requirements, Shri Modi remarked that these reforms in the shipping sector are a continuation of India’s decade-long reform journey. Reflecting on the past ten to eleven years, he noted that the transformation in India’s maritime sector has been historic. Under the Maritime India Vision, more than 150 new initiatives have been launched, resulting in nearly doubling the capacity of major ports, substantial reduction in turnaround time, and a new momentum in cruise tourism. The Prime Minister added that cargo movement on inland waterways has increased by over 700 percent, with the number of operational waterways rising from three to thirty-two. He further stated that the net annual surplus of Indian ports has increased ninefold over the past decade.

“India’s ports are now counted among the most efficient in the developing world, and in many cases, are outperforming ports in the developed world”, exclaimed the Prime Minister. He shared key performance statistics, noting that the average container dwell time in India has reduced to less than three days, which is better than several developed nations. He highlighted that the average vessel turnaround time has dropped from ninety-six hours to just forty-eight hours, making Indian ports more competitive and attractive for global shipping lines. Shri Modi added that India has shown significant improvement in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index. He further emphasized India’s growing strength in maritime human resources, stating that the number of Indian seafarers has increased from 1.25 lakh to over 3 lakh in the past decade. Today, India ranks among the top three countries globally in terms of seafarer numbers.