Ports, Shipping & Waterways | Expanding the ocean of opportunities

The ports, shipping and waterways ministry plays a crucial role in strengthening the country’s domestic and external trade and commerce. Nearly 95 per cent of India’s overseas trade by volume is carried out via its ports. Yet, the country accounts for just over 10 per cent of the global deadweight tonnage. The government has been trying to make amends through the flagship Sagar Mala programme, harnessing India’s 7,500 km coastline , 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes. The results are showing—India’s rank in international shipment category has jumped from 44 in 2014 to 22 now. The importance of the ministry can be gauged from the fact that on May 13, in the middle of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited Iran’s Chabahar port to witness the signing ceremony of the Long-term Main Contract for its development—an India-Iran flagship project. Amid the ongoing wars in Ukraine and West Asia, this project will serve as a trade route connecting India with Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries.