NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday highlighted a visionary write-up by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, underscoring the transformative potential of India’s rivers and maritime sector in driving the nation’s economic growth and connectivity.“In this must-read article, Union Minister Shri @sarbanandsonwal explains how a growing and resilient industrial base with ‘Make in India’ impetus and efforts to modernise, mechanise and digitise ports along the busy east-west trade route have provided the country with a unique advantage….. He highlights that the government’s USD 8 billion package to rejuvenate India’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem is not a routine budget line, but a signal of ambition,” PM Modi said in a post on PMO’s handle X platform.Sonowal’s article celebrates how the Modi-led government is reimagining and revitalizing the country’s inland waterways, turning them into vital lifelines for logistics, tourism, and infrastructure development.“India’s waterways are being rediscovered, reimagined, and rejuvenated under the Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi-led Government,” Sonowal wrote, emphasizing that these efforts form a cornerstone of the broader vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’—a developed India where natural resources fuel progress and modernization.The government’s initiative to harness inland waterways as a sustainable and efficient mode of transport aims to substantially boost connectivity and economic activity. Inland waterways are projected to play a key role in reducing transportation costs, easing road congestion, and promoting eco-friendly logistics, alongside fostering tourism and regional development.In a complementary move, the Modi government unveiled an ambitious USD 8 billion package to rejuvenate India’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem, aiming to propel the country into a new era of maritime strength. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed this as a “signal of ambition” that goes beyond routine budgeting.“This USD 8 billion package to reimagine, revive, and rejuvenate India’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem is not a routine budget line, but a signal of ambition,” Sonowal said, highlighting the government’s commitment to revitalizing a sector with immense strategic and economic importance.The maritime package targets the creation of nearly three million direct and indirect jobs and aims to attract investments worth approximately Rs 4.5 lakh crore. It plans to quadruple India’s port capacity to over 10,000 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), leveraging world-class projects such as the Vadhavan port and streamlining operations through the ‘One Nation One Port’ initiative.Key components of the initiative include expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity to 4.5 million Gross Tonnage annually and the establishment of a Rs 25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund to provide long-term financing for sector growth. The government is championing sustainable shipping practices, including the creation of green hydrogen hubs and transitioning to green tugs.Together, these efforts aim to position India as a globally competitive player in shipping and shipbuilding, enhancing trade facilitation and supporting the country’s economic ambitions.By spotlighting Sonowal’s vision and the maritime package, PM Modi reiterates the importance of leveraging India’s rich natural resources to foster innovation, infrastructure development, and sustainable growth. As India charts its course toward a ‘Viksit Bharat,’ the rejuvenated waterways and maritime sector are poised to become engines of prosperity, connectivity, and national pride.
Agencies