What is Mission 20%? India sets new target after becoming second-biggest supplier of world's seafarers

India has emerged as the second-biggest supplier of seafarers in the world after the Philippines, contributing 311,936 people—or about 12.16 per cent—of the global maritime workforce.

This rise in India's share of the world's seafarers from the fifth position to the second position—overtaking China, Russia and Indonesia as per the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026—marks an important push in the country's maritime education and placement efforts.

The report noted that a key part of India's contribution of 311,936 seafarers to the global workforce included 140,718 officers, who account for 13.41 per cent of the world's officer workforce, and represent India's contribution to plug a gap in a labour market that lacks qualified officers.

The report also noted that this was a huge jump from the 2015-2021 period, when India stayed in the fifth place, despite its seafarer share modestly growing from 5.2 per cent to 6 per cent.

This comes amid rising global demand for seafarers, with the report estimating that the global demand for seafarers hass reached 2.55 million—close to the existing supply of 2.57 million, which points to an increasingly tight global labour market as well.

In that regard, the shipping ministry has now set a new target for itself, titled 'Mission 20%', which aims to boost India's share in the global maritime workforce from 12.16 per cent to 20 per cent, which would make one in every five seafarers Indian.

"We are expanding maritime training capacity, strengthening shipboard training opportunities, fostering deeper industry-academia partnerships, leveraging digital technologies and creating greater opportunities for young Indians, especially women, to pursue rewarding careers at sea," said Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, on Tuesday.

A cause for concern

However, India's achievement as per the BIMCO-ICS report also comes amid rising attacks on seafarers, particularly those of Indian origin, in both the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.

In that regard, Sonowal on Tuesday also reviewed the safety and welfare conditions of Indian seafarers serving aboard merchant vessels in such conflict-sensitive regions.

In that regard, the MoPSW is also closely monitoring 166 seafarers aboard six Indian vessels and some other foreign vessels operating in the embattled Strait of Hormuz and the wider Persian Gulf.