The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has again elected India into its Council for 2026-27, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
India is now a Category (b) member of the IMO, which includes nine other countries that show the largest interest in "international seaborne trade".
Other countries that fall under this category are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
Other categories of member nations at the IMO Council include those with the largest interest in providing international shipping services, as well as those elected for special reasons.
The IMO is a UN specialised agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
This strategic win for India's maritime sector came after it received 154 out of the 169 valid votes cast during the elections held at the 34th Session of the IMO in London on Friday.
"We pledge to continue to serve with full commitment," read an MEA post on X, which also thanked the council for recognising India's "commitment to sustainable shipping, maritime security and South-South cooperation".
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, added to the praise for India, lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
Vision MAHASAGAR is an extension of the scope and goals of India's SAGAR—which aimed to bring stability and inclusive growth across the Indo-Pacific—to a global level, but with a particular emphasis on the Global South.
This runs parallel to the Maritime Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal 2047, which reflect the country's ambitions to become a global maritime superpower.
The IMO Council re-election comes exactly a month after the India Maritime Week 2025, which saw over 600 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs)—worth over Rs 12 lakh crore—signed across multiple sectors.
The prestigious event from October 27-31 also saw PM Modi pledge Rs 2.2 lakh crore ($26 billion) in investments for the maritime sector.