Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to further strengthen the maritime sector and ports for India’s progress.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Today, on National Maritime Day, we recall India’s rich maritime history and the role played by this sector in nation-building. We will continue to strengthen the maritime sector and our ports for India’s progress.”

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In a video message along with the post, PM Modi said that in the past decade, the government has doubled the country’s port capacity and developed over 1000 km of new roads for port connectivity.

“We have worked regularly to strengthen India’s maritime ecosystem. In the last decade, we have doubled the port capacity of India and developed 1,000 km of new roads to improve port connectivity,” he said.

The Prime Minister also mentioned initiatives like “Ports for Prosperity” and “Ports for Progress”, which have contributed to changing the maritime landscape in the region and added that India is also modernising its coastal shipping infrastructure.

“Ports for Prosperity and ports for progress have been changing the maritime landscape of the region. India is also modernising its coastal shipping mode… History has witnessed that whenever India has had a strong maritime capability, the country as well as the world has benefitted,” PM Modi added.

On April 5, 1919, for the first time, the Indian company Scindia Steam Navigation Company Limited’s ship, namely SS Loyalty, went from India to London to trade. In its memory, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways celebrates April 5, every year as National Maritime Day.

National Maritime Day is dedicated to the pivotal role of maritime trade in the development of the Indian economy and its strategic location in global trade.

Recently on April 3, the ‘Coastal Shipping Bill’ was approved by the Lok Sabha.

The Bill seeks to regulate vessels engaged in trade within Indian coastal waters. The bill aims to consolidate and amend the law relating to regulation of coastal shipping, promote coastal trade and encourage domestic participation. This Bill will ensure that India is equipped with a coastal fleet, owned and operated by the citizens of the country for its national security and commercial needs.