Modi's Maritime Revolution: Redefining India's Economic, Climate And Strategic Future

News18

23-07-2025

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Modi's maritime gambit positions India as an indispensable seafaring power capable of shaping the oceanic order of the 21st century
India's 7,500-km coastline has long been an underused asset. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, the waterfront has been recast as a fulcrum for national power.
Data reveals a sector in unprecedented expansion: cargo-handling capacity has surged by 87.6 per cent under the NDA government, rising from 1,399.99 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in 2013-14 to 2,627 MMTPA in 2022-23. This remarkable growth, however, represents only the foundation of Modi's vision for India as a global maritime powerhouse by 2047.
Historically a neglected asset in India, ports are now surging upwards. Major ports now handle 855 million tonnes of cargo annually, a 4.3 per cent increase from the previous year, while achieving a 48 per cent improvement in average turnaround time, from 96 hours in 2014-15 to 49.5 hours in 2024-25. These efficiency gains position Indian ports ahead of developed economies, with container dwell times averaging just 2.6 days compared to 6-7 days at major US ports.
Closing the Gap
Modi's maritime transformation has fundamentally altered India's position in global logistics rankings. The World Bank's Logistics Performance Index reflects this progress, with India rising from 54th position in 2014 to 38th in 2023. More significantly, nine Indian ports now feature among the world's top 100, with Visakhapatnam Port ranking 19th globally for container performance.
Whilst India's logistics costs have fallen to 10 per cent of GDP—targeting single-digit levels by year-end—China's equivalent figure remains at 14.4 per cent. Union minister Nitin Gadkari emphasised the impact: 'Turnaround times at ports are down by 45 per cent, and transport costs have dropped by 25 per cent".
The National Logistics Policy, launched in September 2022, provides the strategic framework for this transformation. Through its four pillars: digital integration, Unified Logistics Interface Platform, ease of logistics, and system improvement, the policy coordinates logistics development across 16 ministries.
The PM Gati Shakti Master Plan complements this approach, utilising GIS-enabled digital platforms to ensure coherent multimodal infrastructure development. These initiatives have already reduced port dwell times from 3.4 days in 2018 to 2.6 days in 2023, delivering benefits to exporters and importers nationwide.
Sagarmala and Beyond
The Sagarmala Programme, launched by Modi in March 2015, represents the cornerstone of India's maritime transformation. This flagship initiative encompasses 839 projects worth Rs 5.79 lakh crore, of which 272 projects valued at Rs 1.41 lakh crore have been completed. The programme's impact extends beyond physical infrastructure: it has generated 118 per cent growth in coastal shipping over the past decade and achieved a remarkable 700 per cent surge in inland waterway cargo movement.
Under Sagarmala's modernisation pillar, 103 completed projects have added 528 million metric tonnes per annum of port capacity. The programme's connectivity dimension has been equally transformative, with 94 projects costing Rs 58,073 crore adding 8,400 kilometres of road and rail networks connecting ports to consumption centres. This infrastructure expansion directly addresses India's long-standing challenge of last-mile connectivity, ensuring that port efficiency gains are translated into broader logistical improvements.
The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, grants port authorities greater tariff autonomy, facilitating private sector engagement. Recent parliamentary approvals include the Bills of Lading Act 2025, replacing 169-year-old colonial legislation with modern, internationally aligned frameworks. The Indian Ports Bill, 2025, further consolidates port governance, establishing Maritime State Development Councils and empowering State Maritime Boards for comprehensive sector oversight.
The private sector has responded enthusiastically to these reforms. Investment in public-private partnership projects at major ports has increased threefold, from Rs 1,329 crore in FY 2022-23 to Rs 3,986 crore in FY 2024-25.
Modi's maritime vision explicitly links port development with employment generation and technological advancement. Sagarmala-linked industrial and logistics clusters are projected to create 10 million positions, including four million direct roles by 2025. The Skill Development Programme under the DDU-GKY framework has already trained over 20,000 coastal youth across twenty districts, demonstrating the government's commitment to inclusive maritime growth.
The Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding at Visakhapatnam and Mumbai exemplifies this approach, training 10,500 technicians annually in mechatronics, simulation, and robotics for shipyards. These institutions ensure that India's maritime expansion rests on a foundation of skilled human capital capable of operating and maintaining advanced port technologies.
The government's broader skilling initiative aims to train 50,000 youth from the Northeast in maritime skills over the next decade, with dedicated centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh leading this effort.
On the technological front, the Unified Logistics Interface Platform represents perhaps the most ambitious technological initiative, integrating datasets from 16 ministries into a single digital ecosystem. It enables seamless cargo release processes and real-time tracking across multimodal transport networks. The National Logistics Portal, launched in January 2023, provides one-stop access to all logistics services, reducing bureaucratic friction and improving transparency for businesses of all sizes.
Sustainability and Climate Leadership
Modi's maritime agenda explicitly positions ports as leaders in India's climate transition. Three major ports, Kandla, Paradip, and VO Chidambaranar, are being developed as green hydrogen hubs under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. This Rs 1.5 lakh crore initiative aims to produce five million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, positioning India as a global leader in clean fuel exports.
Kandla Port will become India's first operational green hydrogen facility by July 2025, with a 1-megawatt electrolyser producing 18 kg of hydrogen per hour. The facility will scale to 10 megawatts, generating 80-90 tonnes annually whilst serving as a model for similar developments across India's port network. These hydrogen hubs leverage India's renewable energy capacity, currently 223 gigawatts, including 108 GW from solar and 51 GW from wind, to create export-oriented clean fuel industries.
Major ports have committed to sourcing 60 per cent of their electricity from renewables by 2030 and reducing carbon emissions per tonne of cargo by 30 per cent over the same period. Jawaharlal Nehru Port's 30-megawatt rooftop solar installation already produces 45 GWh annually, offsetting 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and demonstrating the practical feasibility of port-based renewable energy.
Maritime Power Projection
Apart from all the good it does for the economy and the environment, major ports are the epitome of maritime power projection. China, Russia, the UK, and the United States all possess advanced major ports. Modi's maritime strategy also explicitly recognises ports as instruments of geopolitical influence and national security.
The transformation of India's SAGAR doctrine into MAHASAGAR reflects this evolution, positioning India as the Indian Ocean's primary security provider whilst expanding cooperation mechanisms with regional partners. The Indian Navy's 17 interventions during Red Sea disruptions since December 2023 demonstrate India's operational capability to protect maritime trade routes crucial to global commerce.
Container sovereignty remains a critical vulnerability in India's maritime strategy. Current domestic production of 10,000-30,000 containers annually pales beside China's 2.5-3 million, leaving Indian exporters vulnerable to supply shocks and price manipulation. Modi's government is addressing this through proposed production-linked incentives targeting 500,000 TEUs of domestic capacity by 2028, reducing strategic dependence whilst building indigenous manufacturing capabilities.
Modi's maritime transformation carries profound implications for India's broader strategic positioning. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 envisages Rs 75-80 lakh crore in sectoral investment, targeting 10,000 MMTPA of port capacity and positioning India among the world's top five shipbuilding nations.
International recognition of India's maritime progress validates Modi's strategic vision. The country's re-election to the International Maritime Organisation Council with the highest tally reflects global confidence in India's maritime leadership.
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The challenges remain formidable. Container supply vulnerabilities, chokepoint exposure, and the complex geopolitics of corridor development require sustained attention and adaptive strategies.
If India sustains this trajectory, the numbers generated at today's ports will translate into tomorrow's diplomatic leverage on the global stage. Modi's maritime gambit positions India as an indispensable seafaring power capable of shaping the oceanic order of the 21st century. The transformation of India's coastline represents, ultimately, the anchoring of India's broader global ascent in the strategic realities of maritime dominance.
About the Author
Sohil Sinha
Sohil Sinha is a Sub Editor at News18. He writes on foreign affairs, geopolitics along with domestic policy and infrastructure projects.
tags :
Indian ports pm narendra modi Sagarmala United states
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Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
July 23, 2025, 10:25 IST
News opinion Opinion | Modi's Maritime Revolution: Redefining India's Economic, Climate And Strategic Future
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