Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday highlighted India’s enormous maritime potential, valuing the sector at nearly $1 trillion (₹84 lakh crore), while urging greater private participation in ports, shipping, and logistics. Speaking at India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025 in Mumbai, the minister said innovative financing mechanisms could accelerate project delivery, improve quality, and reduce government financial burden through private innovation and efficiency.
Addressing a session themed “Innovative Mechanisms for Ship Financing,” Gadkari cited the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ success in mobilising ₹1.4 lakh crore through models such as toll-operate-transfer (ToT), Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), and public-private partnerships (PPP). He said similar frameworks could transform maritime infrastructure by encouraging private participation and global investor confidence.
Gadkari also released the CMEG (RIS) – India Maritime Report 2025-26, titled “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision: India’s Maritime Strides.” He lauded Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal for advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sagarmala 2.0, aimed at reviving shipbuilding, repair and recycling, and enhancing coastal and inland waterway economies.
The five-day India Maritime Week, inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah at Mumbai’s NESCO Grounds, brings together leaders from over 85 countries, including ministers from 11 nations. Shah, in his inaugural address, underscored India’s maritime strength as a stabilising link between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, driven by democratic governance and naval capabilities.
Over 100,000 delegates, including global industry leaders, policy think tanks, and international organisations, are attending IMW 2025, which is hosted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways under the theme “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision.” The event showcases India’s ambition to emerge as a global maritime hub and a leader in the Blue Economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address global maritime stakeholders on October 29 during a special plenary session, where he will also chair a high-level CEO forum with international business leaders. The event features over 350 international speakers and 400 exhibitors, along with 600 MoUs expected to generate investment commitments worth over ₹10 lakh crore.
The conference also includes sessions spotlighting regional maritime strengths, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which play a crucial role in India’s maritime security and connectivity. The archipelago’s strategic location in the Bay of Bengal positions it as a gateway for Indo-Pacific trade and a potential hub for sustainable port and logistics development.
In addition to state-specific sessions for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and others, the dedicated Andaman & Nicobar Islands session will highlight eco-friendly maritime infrastructure, blue economy prospects, and investment opportunities in coastal tourism and ship repair facilities.
With discussions spanning green shipping, port modernisation, and global collaboration, India Maritime Week 2025 is set to reinforce the country’s maritime aspirations while anchoring the Andaman & Nicobar Islands firmly within India’s oceanic growth narrative.
