Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted India’s expanding shipping and port sector and invited global participation during his visit to Muscat, Oman, officials said.
Addressing engagements on the sidelines of his Oman visit, Sonowal outlined India’s ongoing transformation into a major maritime and shipping hub, driven by large-scale port development, modernisation of maritime infrastructure and policy reforms aimed at attracting private and foreign investment.
The minister said India’s port-led growth strategy offers significant opportunities under the public-private partnership framework, particularly in greenfield and expansion projects. He referred to mega port developments such as the Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra, which is being developed at an estimated cost of $9 billion with a planned capacity of 23 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), and the Tuticorin Outer Harbour Project in Tamil Nadu, valued at $1.3 billion with a capacity of 4 million TEUs. Both projects are aimed at significantly increasing India’s cargo handling capacity and global trade connectivity.
Sonowal also emphasised the government’s focus on strengthening the shipping ecosystem through shipbuilding, repair and recycling, supported by dedicated financial and institutional mechanisms. He highlighted India’s $8.4 billion maritime development package, which focuses on building shipbuilding clusters, shipbuilding-led industrialisation, dedicated research and development support, and the establishment of a Maritime Development Fund.
