GUWAHATI: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the ‘India Maritime Week,’ to be held in Mumbai from October 27-31.
The PM will also deliver the keynote address at the Global Maritime CEO Forum.
Speaking at the Water Voyage Northeast 2025 conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said it would be a “historic opportunity” to showcase India’s maritime strength to the world, with participation expected from over 100 countries and more than one lakh stakeholders.
He said the PM’s presence would reaffirm India’s global maritime leadership at a time when the sector is undergoing unprecedented transformation.
“India Maritime Week will not only be a confluence of ideas, but a confluence of confidence,” he said, adding, “The way Prime Minister Modi has guided our maritime vision, the world now looks at India as a trusted partner and a rising maritime power. His presence at the Global Maritime CEO Forum will inspire global industry leaders to invest in India’s growth story."
The Minister revealed a major development for the Northeast: two luxury cruise ships are being built at a combined investment of Rs 250 crore for deployment on the Brahmaputra. These ships will be launched in 2027, providing a new dimension to Assam’s river-based tourism under the Cruise Bharat Mission.
Sonowal said India’s maritime ecosystem had been reshaped since 2014 under Modi’s leadership, stating that flagship initiatives such as Sagarmala, Maritime India Vision 2030, and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 are transforming ports, shipping, and inland waterways.
He highlighted that port capacity has nearly doubled, cargo handling has reached 1,600 million metric tonnes, and turnaround time at ports has reduced to 22 hours.
“From five operational waterways in 2014, we now have 30 today,” Sonowal noted. “Cargo movement on inland waterways has grown from 18 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 145 million tonnes last year. These are not just statistics, they are milestones of transformation,” he further stated.