Indian govt making efforts to promote sailing, an Olympic sport: Shipping Minister

India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the 11th India International Regatta, a sailing event in the Southern Indian city of Chennai. Sonowal, who had earlier served as India's Sports minister, highlighted the efforts being undertaken by the Indian government to promote the Olympic sport at the city port. Chennai Port’s marine ecosystem, traffic coordination, safety oversight, and structured water access are enabling a week-long international regatta, he said.

The regatta is being conducted in the Chennai Port waters and Marina Beach frontage, with the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association (TNSA). The event is organised under the aegis of the Yachting Association of India (YAI) and the Asian Sailing Federation (ASAF) and is part of the ASAF Cup 2025–26 series.

"The regatta demonstrates how port infrastructure serves national outcomes beyond cargo—by supporting international sport, public engagement with the sea, and coastal city identity. The event also creates a real-world learning window for students into maritime domains such as navigation, marine safety, seamanship, weather reading, and ocean awareness in an authentic sea-facing setting," Sonowal said.

The week-long championship supports Chennai’s visibility in sports tourism and international youth exchanges while showcasing the city’s coastline and maritime culture to visiting teams and followers. 117 registered youth sailors from 13 nations are participating in this event.

As an Asian Sailing Federation (ASAF) Cup regatta, the championship strengthens India’s presence on the Asian sailing calendar and deepens competitive exposure for young athletes.

Further, the minister provided government funding for the Royal Madras Yacht Club (RMYC) for imparting Sailing training to 20 students of the Chennai Port School. Founded in 1911, the RMYC, situated within the Chennai Port, has stood as a proud emblem of India's maritime heritage. One of the oldest yacht clubs in the country, it is among the pioneers in nurturing seamanship and competitive sailing.

The RMYC is on a mission to make sailing accessible to all, breaking the myth that it is a sport only for the elite. The Club actively collaborates with schools, NCC, CRPF, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and youth organisations, encouraging participation from students across socio-economic backgrounds. Royal Madras Yacht Club has been training underprivileged students from government schools over the last year, which has enabled young talent from less fortunate backgrounds to take part in prestigious events such as the India International Regatta and the Indian Navy's FOTNA Cup.

Addressing an event of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, Sonowal mentioned, "Our port capacity has more than doubled in the last 10 years, our vessel turnaround time reduced by 50%, our inland cargo transport grew by over 700%, our seafarers grew by almost 200%, our coastal cargo movement doubled during the last decade. Our cruise tourism grew by a massive 400%, today 9 of our major ports rank in the top 100 ports of the world, and we are better than advanced maritime nations in various key port performance indicators." He also inaugurated several infrastructure enhancement projects at the Chennai Port and the Kamarajar Port in the city.