With new challenges emerging each day due to the dynamics of changing geopolitical situations, India’s rise and prosperity are closely tied to the oceans, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways said on Friday.
Delivering the Convocation address at the Indian Maritime University (IMU) at Uthandi on the East Coast Road near Chennai, he said that from oceans comes prosperity, which in turn ensures the country’s fulfilment, and added that students are the navigators of that future.
”For those who rule the seas, rule the world,” he noted, adding that the number of seafarers in India, which was around 1.25 lakh a decade ago, had gone up to more than 3 lakh, with the country being the top three suppliers of seafarers.
On the importance of the maritime sector in national development, he said the seas have vast potential and are full of opportunities to be tapped, with the country witnessing a golden era of resurgence with path-breaking reforms. And the students graduating now, he said, would be the custodians of this maritime future.
“Today, the ‘Turn Around Time’ of Indian ports is 0.9 days, which is more advanced than advanced maritime nations, including the USA, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, and Singapore. Nine of our ports have secured a place among the top 100 ports of the world. Further, cargo movement through inland waterways has increased by 7 times and by 150 per cent in coastal waterways. We have achieved a lot, but more remains to be achieved,” he said.
On the occasion, the Minister inaugurated the India Ship Technology Centre (ISTC) at the Visakhapatnam campus of the IMU. Established at a cost of Rs 305 crore, it will be an agency responsible for the overall development of the shipbuilding sector. It will provide a common platform for the shipbuilding industry, including R&D.