India is poised to emerge as a global maritime powerhouse and rank among the world’s leading shipping centres by 2047, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur said, underlining the maritime sector’s pivotal role in the country’s economic transformation.
Addressing the CII EXIM Conference 2026 in Kolkata, Shantanu Thakur highlighted that nearly 95 percent of India’s trade by volume and around 70 percent by value is handled through ports, making the maritime sector a strategic enabler of global trade ambitions rather than merely a transport channel.
He said the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is implementing major initiatives to modernise maritime infrastructure, strengthen multimodal connectivity and enhance logistics efficiency as part of the broader vision of port led development. These measures are aimed at boosting export competitiveness and accelerating economic growth.
Shantanu Thakur noted that over the past decade, India’s port capacity has more than doubled, cargo handling efficiency has improved significantly and turnaround time at major ports has been substantially reduced through mechanisation and digitalisation. He said these reforms have strengthened India’s position in global trade and enhanced reliability for exporters and logistics operators.
“As India moves towards becoming a five trillion dollar economy and realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, export competitiveness will be one of the strongest pillars of our economic transformation,” he said.
The Minister also outlined the Government’s renewed thrust on strengthening the shipbuilding ecosystem. Referring to recent policy measures and budgetary support, he said development of shipbuilding, including inland shipbuilding, has been prioritised to position India as a major global shipbuilding nation.
He pointed to India’s strategic geographical location as a significant advantage for global trade and the international shipbuilding industry. With sustained policy support and active industry participation, he said, India has the potential to emerge among the top shipbuilding nations in the world.
“With the right momentum and support to shipbuilding, we can achieve our targets and reach among the top shipbuilding nations globally,” he stated.
Emphasising the importance of collaboration, Shantanu Thakur called for stronger industry partnership to advance the maritime ecosystem and enhance global competitiveness. He said the initiative to build a globally competitive maritime sector began in 2014 and continues to gather pace with a long term focus on infrastructure modernisation and trade facilitation.
The conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders and international partners to deliberate on strengthening India’s export ecosystem through improved trade infrastructure and logistics efficiency.
The inaugural session was attended by Aung Myo Thein, Consul General of Myanmar; Shashwat Goenka, Chairman, CII Eastern Region; and Sandeep Kumar, Chairman, CII ER International Trade Subcommittee, along with senior industry representatives.
