Centre Launches ₹69,725 Crore Maritime Package to Build India into Global Shipping Hub

India aggressively accelerates its maritime transformation through a comprehensive Rs 69,725-crore shipbuilding and infrastructure package, strategically designed to leverage its expansive 7,500-km coastline and 2-million-sq-km exclusive economic zone as the cornerstone of the nation’s next economic surge. Highlighted at India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, this ambitious initiative projects Rs 4.5 lakh crore in total investments, generates up to 30 lakh direct and indirect jobs, and substantially reduces logistics costs that currently burden Indian exports. By modernizing aging shipyards, expanding the domestic merchant fleet, and seamlessly integrating ports with inland industrial corridors via flagship programs like Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti, the government aims to elevate India from a peripheral player to a central hub in global maritime trade.

The timing of this maritime push proves critical, as ongoing Red Sea conflicts—driven by Houthi attacks on commercial vessels—have disrupted vital shipping lanes, causing freight rates to skyrocket by over 300 percent on some routes and exposing the fragility of global supply chains. These disruptions underscore a fundamental reality that nations commanding their own sea routes, logistics infrastructure, and shipbuilding capacity will dictate the future flow of international commerce. For India, which imports nearly 85 percent of its crude oil and relies heavily on maritime trade for exports, strengthening domestic capabilities becomes essential for economic sovereignty and resilience against external shocks.

At the heart of the strategy lies a deliberate pause in the privatization of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), a move that reflects New Delhi’s intent to retain and revitalize national assets during a period of geopolitical uncertainty. Rather than divesting, the focus shifts to fleet modernization, operational efficiency upgrades, and alignment with the broader shipbuilding revival plan. This ensures SCI remains a strategic tool for securing energy imports, supporting defense logistics, and projecting India’s maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Also Read: HAL Teams Up with Russia to Build 100-Seater Jets in India – First Since 1988!

Beyond traditional shipping, India’s coastal states rapidly evolve into renewable energy powerhouses, with large-scale offshore wind farms, floating solar installations, and green hydrogen production hubs developed along the western and eastern seaboards. These projects not only tie maritime infrastructure to India’s net-zero ambitions but also create synergies between clean energy generation and port-led industrialization, positioning coastal economies as dual engines of growth and sustainability.

Success hinges on swift execution that shipyards must achieve global-scale production within tight timelines, ports require full digitization for real-time cargo tracking, and private capital demands long-term policy certainty to commit billions. As India advances bilateral trade negotiations with the US, EU, and others—asserting it will not negotiate under pressure—the maritime pivot reinforces this stance of confidence. If implemented effectively, this blue economy revolution could anchor India’s growth trajectory, enhance self-reliance, and elevate its influence on the world stage for decades to come.

Also Read: Is India Going To Open Public Banks To 49% Foreign Ownership?