60 nations to take part in India Maritime Week; $114bn investment opportunity, says govt
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "60 nations to take part in India Maritime Week; $114bn investment opportunity, says govt")
Cargo shipping in India Photograph: (PTI)
The secretary said that in last 10 years, Indian ports’ cargo handling capacity has risen from 1,500 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum (MMTPA) in 2014-15 to 2,800 MMTPA in 2024-25, while cargo handled via inland waterways rose from 7 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 133 million tonnes in 2024-25.
In what is touted as a first in the country and among the largest globally, the Indian Government will be hosting India Maritime Week (IMW) in October 2025, an event that will see participation of leaders from 60 nations, CEOs of maritime-sector firms, stakeholders, professionals, and industry bodies, among others. According to the Indian government, the event will facilitate an investment opportunity of over $114 billion, or Rs. 10 lakh crores.
Elaborating on the event, TK Ramachandran, Indian Shipping and Ports Secretary, said that the Indian Maritime Week to be hosted in Mumbai is modelled after similar global events hosted by London, Singapore, Norway, among others. He said that the event would focus on ports, shipping, shipbuilding, seafarers, green shipping, fuel, cruise, inland waterways, heritage, financing, insurance, etc.
Outlining how the India Maritime Week 2025 was conceptualised, Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson, Chennai Port Trust, said that the Maritime India Summit 2016 was India’s first large-scale maritime-focused event, and it saw the participation of 40 nations. The summit supported the launch of the Sagarmala Programme and facilitated MoUs worth billions in investment. Sagarmala Project is India’s flagship programme for port-led development, launched in 2015 to harness the country’s 7,500 km coastline and waterways to reduce logistics costs, modernise port infrastructure, enhance port connectivity, promote coastal industrialisation, and develop coastal communities.
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The Maritime India Summit 2021 was held virtually due to the pandemic but achieved record participation with 1.9 lakh attendees from over 100 countries. The Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 expanded India’s maritime vision globally with a hybrid event format. It focused on green corridors, digitalisation, autonomous shipping, and port-led development.
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During the previous Maritime India Summits, Chennai Port signed over 30 MoUs worth over Rs. 8000 crores. These MoUs were signed for the creation of a bunkering hub, capacity expansion through dredging, construction of tank farms, a multimodal logistics park, skill development with NTCPWC, Ocean Research, development of Sewage Treatment Plants, etc.
Highlighting the key achievements of the Shipping and Ports Ministry over the past decade, the secretary said that Indian ports’ cargo handling capacity has risen from 1,500 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum (MMTPA) in 2014-15 to 2,800 MMTPA in 2024-25. Further, he cited that there was a drastic jump in cargo handled via inland waterways—from 7 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 133 million tonnes in 2024-25.
According to the government, India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025, scheduled for October 27th-31st in Mumbai, is the nation’s premier platform to showcase progress across the maritime sector, including ports, shipping, and waterways. The event will convene global and domestic leaders to foster dialogue, innovation, and policy initiatives aimed at building a sustainable and future-ready maritime ecosystem. Featuring thematic sessions, business forums, exhibitions, and high-level dialogues, IMW 2025 will catalyse advancing India’s maritime ambitions.
