PM Modi declares ships as ‘infrastructure’, unveils Rs 34,200 crore maritime projects in Gujarat
AHMEDABAD, SEP 20 : Calling it a “historic reform,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that large ships will now be officially recognized as infrastructure — a move that will ease financing, lower interest rates, and empower Indian shipping companies to compete globally.
He also announced three new schemes worth Rs 70,000 crore to: Modernize shipyards, adopt cutting-edge technologies and upgrade design and quality standards.
Reinforcing his mantra — “Chips or ships, made in India” — Modi introduced a ‘One Nation, One Document’ and ‘One Nation, One Port Process’, scrapping outdated colonial-era laws and streamlining trade and port operations.
Calling India’s coastlines “gateways to national prosperity,” Modi emphasized that peace, stability, and global growth depend on India’s self-reliance. He asserted, “Chips or ships, we must make them in India.”
Capping the day with a massive development push, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 34,200 crore at the ‘Samudra se Samriddhi’ event, giving Gujarat’s Bhavnagar a major boost as a maritime hub.
Modi declared, “India’s coastlines will become gateways to national prosperity,” and warned that the country’s greatest enemy today is not an external force, but dependence on other nations.
“India has no major enemy in the world, but our biggest adversary is dependence on others. Greater dependence leads to greater national failure,” Modi said, urging people to embrace Atmanirbharta (self-reliance).
Modi revealed the staggering financial loss India incurs due to reliance on foreign shipping. He said India pays $75 billion (Rs 6 lakh crore) annually to foreign shipping companies — nearly equivalent to the country’s defence budget.
“If previous governments had invested in our shipping sector, the world today would be using Indian ships, and India would be earning lakhs of crores,” he said, blaming past regimes for reducing India’s shipping share from 40% to just 5%.
Describing shipbuilding as the “Mother of All Industries,” Modi said its revival would generate a ripple effect across sectors such as: Steel, machinery, electronics, textiles, information technology and MSMEs.
He emphasized that every rupee invested in shipbuilding would generate double the return, and that 100 shipyard jobs would create 600 additional jobs in supporting industries.
Citing progress over the past decade, Modi noted that India has built over 40 ships and submarines, including the INS Vikrant, underscoring the nation’s capabilities and political will.
Gujarat featured prominently in Modi’s maritime roadmap. He announced that 40% of India’s sea cargo already flows through Gujarat’s ports. These ports will soon be linked to the Dedicated Freight Corridor, accelerating cargo movement. The Alang Ship Breaking Yard, a global hub, is generating massive employment. Gujarat’s coastline is setting benchmarks for port-led growth.
Modi also highlighted recent developments in other states and said that India’s first deep-water container trans-shipment port in Kerala has begun operations.
The Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra, with an investment of Rs 75,000 crore, will rank among the world’s top 10 ports, he said.
Currently handling 10% of global maritime trade, India aims to triple this share by 2047, Modi said.
He also noted the rise in Indian seafarers — from 1.25 lakh to over 3 lakh in the past decade — placing India among the top three suppliers of maritime professionals globally.
To honor India’s ancient maritime legacy, Modi announced the development of a world-class maritime museum at Lothal, akin to how the Statue of Unity symbolizes national pride.
Concluding his speech, Modi urged citizens to support indigenous products and encouraged shopkeepers to display signs reading: “Say with pride, this is Swadeshi.”
“Every festival should become a celebration of India’s prosperity,” he said, wishing the nation a joyous Navratri.
-PTI
