Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 27 (UNI) India’s maritime sector is emerging as a cornerstone of Viksit Bharat 2047, steering USD 1 trillion in potential investments across ports, shipbuilding, cruise tourism and green shipping, a new report said.
The report – ‘Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision: India’s Maritime Strides’ – was released at the inaugural session of India Maritime Week 2025 today.
The Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity (CMEC), an autonomous research institute established by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPS&W) at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), released its flagship India Maritime Report 2025-26.
The study highlights that India’s maritime investment has risen 2.5 times in eight years, from USD 3.3 billion in 2017 to USD 8.2 billion in 2025, with nine Indian ports now ranked among the world’s top 100.
It further underscores the country’s growing influence as a sustainable and digitally enabled maritime hub — integrating innovation, trade facilitation, and regional cooperation under the Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047), a statement from RIS said.
Speaking at the launch, Nitin Gadkari, union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said the report captures a pivotal national transformation. “India’s maritime growth is central to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. With record-breaking cargo movement, new maritime legislations and an ambitious investment roadmap, we are building ports and pathways that connect prosperity with sustainability. India’s maritime rise is not just an infrastructure story but a policy, technology and human-capital story that will define the global oceans economy over the next two decades.”
Prepared by a multidisciplinary team of maritime experts, the report details sectoral shifts, from expanding deep-draft ports and inland waterways to leveraging blockchain and green hydrogen for next-generation shipping.
It positions India not merely as a maritime nation but as a maritime partner to the world, advancing cooperation and capacity-building across the Indo-Pacific and Global South.
Reflecting on the policy and research significance of the study, Professor Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director-General, RIS, noted that the data-driven recommendations within the report — from the growth of FDI inflows and private-sector participation to the skilling of the maritime workforce, — offer a ready policy playbook for India’s next decade of blue-economy growth. As the report outlines, India’s maritime journey today stands at the convergence of opportunity and leadership — where data, sustainability, and innovation together shape a new era of global maritime cooperation.
The Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity (CMEC) serves as India’s knowledge and policy hub for advancing India’s maritime connectivity, sustainability and economic trade and technology cooperation across the Globe.
