The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) convened a National Consultative Workshop with Coastal States and Union Territories in New Delhi today, bringing together key maritime stakeholders to chart the next phase of India’s maritime growth under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

The workshop served as a collaborative platform to align national priorities with state-level initiatives, with a focus on accelerating port-led development, strengthening logistics efficiency, and advancing digital and sustainable maritime practices.

Delivering the keynote address, Secretary, MoPSW, Shri Vijay Kumar, IAS, underscored the significant transformation of India’s maritime sector in recent years, marked by improved port performance, enhanced global rankings, and growing integration with international trade networks. He noted that India is steadily positioning itself as a competitive maritime nation, supported by policy reforms, infrastructure expansion, and increased private sector participation.

Anchored in the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the Government’s long-term roadmap envisages large-scale investments across ports, coastal shipping, inland waterways, shipbuilding, and green shipping. As highlighted in the background framework, the vision places strong emphasis on modernisation, digitisation, and sustainability as key drivers of growth.

Highlighting the scale of opportunity, the Secretary noted that India’s port capacity and operational capabilities are set to expand significantly over the coming decades, supported by ongoing investments, mechanisation, and port-led industrialisation initiatives. He also pointed to the Government’s focused push on shipbuilding as a strategic priority to enhance India’s position in the global maritime value chain.

A key focus of the discussions was the role of non-major ports (Other Than Major Ports), which handle nearly 46% of the country’s cargo. Recognising their critical contribution to regional development and coastal logistics, the Ministry emphasised the need for closer alignment of these ports with national frameworks, particularly in areas of process standardisation, digital integration, and operational efficiency.

The workshop deliberations were structured around three core themes: sectoral overview, regulatory and digital reforms, and state-level initiatives for capacity expansion and efficiency enhancement. Discussions underlined the progress made in infrastructure development, Public–Private Partnership frameworks, and ease of doing business measures, while also identifying areas for further improvement.

On the regulatory and technology front, participants discussed the implementation of the One Nation One Port Process (ONOP), aimed at standardising port procedures, and the Maritime Single Window (MSW) – Sagar Setu, which is expected to enable seamless, end-to-end digital transactions. The Indian Ports Act, 2025, along with other recent maritime legislations, was noted as a key enabler for strengthening Centre–State coordination and ensuring a transparent and future-ready regulatory ecosystem.

Coastal States and Union Territories shared their ongoing initiatives and plans, including infrastructure expansion, digitalisation, green port initiatives, and the development of shipbuilding and maritime industrial clusters. These presentations reflected strong alignment with national priorities and a shared commitment to building a resilient and efficient maritime ecosystem.

The workshop witnessed participation from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and the Union Territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. As detailed in the programme schedule, the deliberations enabled a comprehensive exchange of ideas and best practices across regions.

In his concluding remarks, Joint Secretary (Ports, IT & e-Governance), MoPSW, Shri Venkatesapathy S., emphasised that the discussions reflected a strong and shared commitment to advancing port-led growth, digitisation, and sustainability. He highlighted that initiatives such as the One Nation One Port Process, Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu), and the Indian Ports Act, 2025, will be instrumental in driving efficiency, transparency, and integration across the maritime sector. He called for continued alignment of systems and policies across States and the Centre to translate these discussions into tangible outcomes.

The Ministry noted that the workshop marks an important step in strengthening cooperative federalism in the maritime domain. With sustained collaboration between the Centre and the States, India is well-positioned to unlock the full potential of its maritime sector and move decisively towards becoming a leading global maritime nation.

 

 

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MI/Indu

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