Archive · 8 Oct 2026
India Targets Shipping and Shipbuilding Self-Reliance by 2047
India wants to build more of its own ships and use them to carry its trade.
The goal is to handle all of its exports and imports with Indian-flagged, Indian-built ships by 2047.
The government also wants India to become one of the world’s five biggest shipbuilding countries.
It plans to improve ports, shipyards, ship-repair facilities, and maritime training.
Sonowal said Indian shipyards have already won orders from countries including Germany, the United States, and Norway.
He also said India has more than 323,000 seafarers.
The government has evacuated more than 4,000 Indian seafarers from an area affected by maritime security incidents.
At an international dialogue, India also discussed working with other countries on shipping and waterways.
India aims to carry all its export-import trade on Indian-flagged, domestically built ships by 2047.
The government wants India to become one of the world’s top five shipbuilding nations and expand port capacity to 10,000 million tonnes by 2047.
Plans include expanding shipbuilding and repair facilities, improving maritime training, and enabling Indian shipyards to compete for international orders.
Sonowal said India has more than 323,000 seafarers and has evacuated more than 4,000 from the region affected by the Strait of Hormuz security crisis.
At Sagarmanthan, India discussed maritime cooperation with several countries, including green shipping and access to Indian waterways for Bhutanese exports.
- Who
- Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced the goals.
- What
- India aims to become self-reliant in shipping and shipbuilding and carry its entire export-import trade on Indian-flagged, domestically built ships by 2047.
- When
- The target year is 2047; Sonowal spoke on Wednesday at the third Sagarmanthan dialogue.
- Where
- The announcement was made in New Delhi at Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue.
- Why
- To reduce reliance on foreign-flagged vessels, meet India’s shipping needs, and strengthen its position as a global maritime power.
- Shipping goal
- Handle all export-import trade using Indian-flagged, domestically built ships by 2047.
- Shipbuilding ambition
- Become one of the world’s top five shipbuilding nations.
- Port capacity target
- 10,000 million tonnes by 2047.
- Seafarers
- More than 323,000 Indian seafarers, according to Sonowal.
- Port turnaround
- Container turnaround time has fallen from more than 35 hours to about 23 hours.
- Maritime security response
- More than 4,000 Indian seafarers have been evacuated from the affected region.
- Dialogue participation
- The third Sagarmanthan drew participants from more than 70 countries.