PM Modi flags off Sagarmanthan 2026; calls for 'rules-based order' amid global headwinds

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagged off the third edition of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, that will bring together more than 1,200 speakers, delegates, and participants from nearly 75 countries to Delhi from October 7-9.

Themed 'Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea', the three-day event will discuss the complex future of the global maritime sector, especially areas such as trade, technology, sustainability, and cooperation at sea.

Calling for a "free, open, secure and rules-based maritime order" in a written message to the conference, co-hosted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), PM Modi highlighted the meaning of the word 'Sagarmanthan', and its special relevance to India.

Pointing out that the word meant 'churning of the ocean', he linked it to the discovery of new possibilities, and the "immense promise" that oceans held for "immense promise" for the world's economies, people and the planet.

"India's relationship with the ocean is also about responsibility ... We believe the oceans must become a source of shared prosperity, where every country has a voice and an opportunity to grow," the PM's message read.

This is significant, as it comes on the same day that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned attacks on four commercial ships in the Black Sea amid the Russia-Ukraine war, all of which had been carrying Indian nationals onboard.

India has long opposed attacks on commercial shipping, not just in the Black Sea, but also in other crucial chokepoints impacted by geopolitical headwinds, such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab El Mandeb strait.

In that regard, PM Modi also emphasised India's growing contribution to the global seafarer workforce, in addition to its major ports nearly doubling their capacity and reducing turnaround times.

In fact, just days ago, the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) said that it had handled 9.63 lakh—nearly one million—metric tonnes in a single day, which has now become the new national record.

It was also one of four major ports—apart from the Paradip, Mundra, and Jawaharlal Nehru ports—that were notified as mega ports just weeks ago.

"In the last two years, India has also brought in new-generation maritime laws to create a modern framework for the sector. At the same time, we are investing in ocean science and exploration so that we can understand our seas better and make responsible use of their immense potential," he added in his message, justifying the country's Viksit Bharat 2047 push by turning to India's storied maritime history.