India going to launch Vladivostok-Chennai shipping route : Sarbananda Sonowal

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal; Christos Stylianides, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Greece; Dr. Amzath Ahmed, Minister of State for Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Maldives; Maria Lorena Villaverde, National Representative for the Province of Rio Negro, Argentina; TK Ramachandran, Secretary of MoPSW; and Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) were among the hundreds of maritime industry delegates in attendance.

It is a two-day event being organized by the Government of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). To advance sustainable and innovative marine practices, the initiative convenes scholars, industry executives, maritime specialists, and global policymakers.

The dialogue underscores India’s strategic role in global trade, with a 7,500-kilometer coastline and strategic islands that bolster its maritime potential. The event also highlights the nation’s commitment to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector through green initiatives such as the Harit Sagar Guidelines and the National Green Hydrogen Mission. 

Setting the context for the mega deliberations and discussion, Sarbananda Sonowal further added, “Recognising India’s maritime potential and its significance for economic growth, our government has implemented crucial policy measures for the ‘Blue and Ocean-based Economy’ over the last decade. Our participation in initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) and the International North-South Transport Corridor underscores our commitment to strengthening global trade partnerships. We are also preparing to build future ships that run on clean fuels like ammonia, hydrogen, and electric, capable of traversing brown, green, and blue waters. Our Amrit Kaal Maritime Vision 2047 has placed great emphasis on climate action and environmental sustainability.”

The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Greece, Christos Stylianides, said, “For us policy makers, it is crucial to ensure a stable regulatory framework and a global level playing field for the industry… International transport systems with shipping at its core as an integral part should serve the three pillars of sustainability: the environmental, the social and the economic one. This will be done by optimising efficiency in connectivity, minimising pollution and ensuring resilience across the entire maritime chain. What we need now is collaboration and the ‘Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue’ is a great example in this direction. It is in our hands, in a spirit of partnership, to make this happen.”

Speaking about this maiden initiative, Sagarmanthan, the Member, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PM-EAC), Sanjeev Sanyal said, “This should serve as a guiding principle for all of us to strengthen and grow our maritime cluster… Our goal is to position ourselves at the forefront of the maritime sector, and to achieve this, we must draw on the expertise of industry leaders who set benchmarks across various verticals…. We have the technology, the young workers, the trade volume, the steel and the coastline—all the ingredients. So, we should aspire in 10 years to build 10-12 percent of the world’s ships and own/flag 8 percent.”

Speaking after the meeting, the Union Minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, said, India is working with Greece to expand economic cooperation with the European Union market..”…Both the leaders agreed to optimally use strategic maritime assets towards sustainable development… The dialogue featured participants from 60 countries across the globe, with more than 1700 participants, including ministers, former heads of state and government, journalists, and experts.