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At the fourth edition of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah announced that the USD 5 billion Great Nicobar Island project will play a key role in boosting India's maritime trade and strategic reach. He highlighted opportunities worth INR 10 lakh crore in the sector and said India aims to triple cargo handling capacity to 10,000 MMTPA while becoming one of the top five ship-building nations. Shah also noted that the upcoming USD 10 billion Vadhavan Port near Mumbai will rank among the world's top ten ports. With 680 investment agreements worth over INR 10 lakh crore expected, the event showcased India's maritime expansion, sustainability goals, and growing global competitiveness.
Mumbai hosted the fourth edition of India Maritime Week 2025 recently, where Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the USD 5 billion development project on Great Nicobar Island will boost India's maritime trade significantly. He emphasised that India's democratic stability and naval capabilities now allow the country to play a bridging role between the Indo-Pacific and the global South. Advertisement
The Great Nicobar project was launched in 2021 with the aim of transforming the island in the Bay of Bengal through major infrastructure investments. Further, Shah pointed out that the maritime sector offers opportunities worth INR 10 lakh crore and that India is targeting a three-fold increase in cargo handling capacity to 10,000 MMTPA by developing deep-draft ports. He also stated that India intends to be among the top five ship-building nations.
Additionally, the upcoming Vadhavan Port near Mumbai, with an investment of USD 10 billion, will be among the top ten ports in the world at the time of commissioning, according to Shah. He said structural reforms in the maritime sector have set the stage for India to emerge as a maritime power. He added that the historic "Gateway of India" will soon turn into a "Gateway of World" through such initiatives.
Also speaking at the event, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that only a peaceful, law-abiding society can attract investors, noting the gains in internal security and stability under the Home Ministry. The Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Vijay Kumar, reported that the event had registered about 1.5 lakh participants from 11 countries, and that more than 350 foreign speakers will take part. He further said that 680 investment agreements worth over INR 10 lakh crore are expected to be signed, which would help create 7 lakh new jobs.
Looking back, the Great Nicobar Project has drawn both strategic interest and environmental concerns. For example, environmental clearance was granted in late 2022 with conditions to monitor impact on tribal communities and wildlife. Moving forward, the Vadhavan Port is part of Maharashtra's broader maritime push policies such as the Maharashtra Shipbuilding, Ship Repair & Ship Recycling Policy 2025 underline the state's intention to become a major ship-building hub.
Source PTI
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