IT WAS NEITHER the military pacts nor the shifting geopolitics of energy that drew attention as documents were exchanged between the Indian and Russian sides at Delhi’s Hyderabad House on December 5. As President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on, what created a mild flutter was Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stepping forward to swap documents with Russia’s Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin.
For those following India’s maritime resurgence this moment was anything but surprising. How India—a nation with more than 11,000km of coastline and a seafaring tradition from the Harappans to the Cholas—managed to fall so far behind in the maritime sector has long been a mystery. Determined to correct that course, the Union ministry of ports, shipping and inland waterways is at the forefront of a renewed push to reclaim India’s place on the high seas.
Guided by a robust framework of Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047—which aims to transform India into a maritime superpower by the time it becomes a $30 trillion economy—the government has set in motion an ambitious plan involving investments of up to 80 lakh crore. Against this backdrop, the maritime understandings concluded during the Modi–Putin summit had particular significance.
The first pillar of this new cooperation seeks to expand logistics networks by developing “stable and efficient” transport corridors on three routes: the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Chennai–Vladivostok (Eastern Maritime) Corridor, and the Northern Sea Route.
Of these, the 7,200 km INSTC stands out as a significant alternative to the Suez-dependent route that geopolitical shifts have repeatedly disrupted. Connecting India and Russia through Iran via a multimodal network of sea, rail and road routes, this corridor will cut cargo transit from St Petersburg to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai to just 25 days, compared to the 40-day transit around the Suez.
“INSTC is the most important of the three routes,” Admiral (retd) Sunil Lanba, former chief of the Indian Navy told THE WEEK. “It gives us access to the Central Asian market for Indian goods, and cuts cost by around 30 per cent and transit time by about 40 per cent as compared to the traditional route through the Black Sea. It will be a big boost to Indian exports, especially pharmaceuticals, food, etc.”
The Chennai-Vladivostok Corridor, he said, aligns India’s Act East Policy with Russia’s Eurasia policy. “It will boost India-Russia relations, give India access to energy resources, minerals and connectivity to Mongolia,” he said. “It will also give India geostrategic and geoeconomic heft in the region.”
Said Captain Suresh Bhardwaj, director of the Chennai-based MASSA Maritime Academy: “The INSTC offers an alternative trade route, especially relevant with present geopolitical shifts.”
Commodore (retd) R.S. Vasan, regional director of the National Maritime Foundation, said the INSTC would complement the expansion of India’s trade through Central Asia and provide the connection from Chabahar port in Iran. “With the good relations between Russia and Iran, India can leverage this for advancing its trade interests,” he said. “As nothing can go through Pakistan, India needs alternate routes.”
The second pillar of the cooperation focuses on shipping, ports, joint mineral exploration and research and development. Modi highlighted the shipbuilding partnership in particular. “Our strong cooperation in shipbuilding has the potential to further strengthen ‘Make in India’,” he said. “It is yet another excellent example of our win-win partnership, which will enhance jobs, skills and regional connectivity.”
The third focus area involves Russia training Indian seafarers to operate ships in polar waters through specialised programmes. India already holds observer status in the Arctic Council, the intergovernmental forum formed in 1996 to promote cooperation among Arctic states.
“Indian seafarers have no experience of operating in polar region whatsoever,” said Lanba. “We also do not have ships that have the capability to operate in the polar region. Russia has the largest number of icebreaker ships, including nuclear-powered ones. The training will definitely help Indian seafarers gain from the knowledge Russia possesses.”
Bhardwaj said the collaboration was a significant step in operationalising India’s Arctic policy, especially given the increasing navigability of the Northern Sea Route because of climate change. “This route is approximately 40 per cent shorter than the Suez Canal route between Europe and Asia,” he said.
A founding member of the Arctic Council, Russia controls the largest share of the Arctic. “The region has significant potential for fossil fuels,” said Vice Admiral Rajesh Sudhakar Pendharkar (retd). “A partnership with Russia to exploit these resources could help India substantially in securing its energy requirement. It could help lock in long-term access to Russian hydrocarbons, coal and critical minerals along routes less exposed to western pressure.”
Vasan points out the human resources dimension. “As of now Indian seafarers are about 14 per cent of all global seafarers. This MoU would add to the skill levels and increase our global presence,” he said. “With the increased use of additional Arctic routes the demand for expert sailors will increase.”