India is set to become a major hub in shipbuilding, ship repair, and maritime innovation in the coming decade, announced the Union Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, in his keynote address at the 'Samudra Utkarsh' event at New Delhi today.
Ships from "friendly foreign" nations are increasingly coming to Indian shipyards for complex refits, and this is a clear recognition of India's capability, reliability, and core competitiveness, the Raksha Mantri noted.
The Samudra Utkarsh event in New Delhi by the Department of Defence Production, Government of India, celebrated the "4524 years of excellence, from ancient maritime roots to modern innovation" from 2500 BCE to 2025 CE.
Singh also highlighted key Indian programmes such as the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 as he stated the nation's commitment to becoming the "preferred sustainment and repair hub for the entire Indo-Pacific region".
As he highlighted the achievements of major Indian outfits such as the Cochin Shipyard Limited, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, and
Hindustan Shipyard Limited, among others, he also lauded the country's emerging private maritime players.
"The private sector is rising as a force multiplier, producing green fuel vessels, LNG carriers, roll-on roll-off vessels, and high-efficiency commercial ships for domestic use under global clients," Singh noted.
Civil shipbuilders, backed by Indian design houses, are a sign of the country's shift towards a "full-spectrum" shipbuilding nation, the defence minister stated.
"We are capable of delivering everything from aircraft carriers to advanced research vessels and energy-efficient commercial ships", announced Rajnath Singh.
The Samudra Utkarsh seminar at Bhaat Mandapam saw key stakeholders in the maritime sector, including the CMDs of MDL, GRSE, GSL, HSL, CSL and L&T Shipbuilding sharing insights on their shipyards, milestones, and technological progress.
Welcoming the various dignitaries at the event, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar highlighted how shipbuilding was one of the strategic industries for any maritime nation.
