India Advances Global Maritime Partnerships and Infrastructure Development
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal held significant bilateral meetings with Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and Bhutan during the Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue 2026, focusing on expanding India's maritime partnerships across regions. With Saudi Arabia's Ports Authority (Mawani), discussions centered on Saudi participation in Indian port projects including Vadhavan and Galathea Bay, along with cooperation in shipbuilding, seafarer training, and resilient supply chains. Saudi Arabia expressed concrete interest in investing in India's port projects and the Maritime Development Fund.
With Belgium's Flemish Minister Annick De Ridder, Sonowal proposed establishing a green shipping corridor linking Indian ports with Antwerp-Bruges, discussing green fuels, smart port technology, and dredging. VOC Port has already signed an agreement with Port of Antwerp for capacity building in green shipping and green fuel training. With Bhutan's Infrastructure Minister Chandra Bahadur Gurung, the focus was on National Waterway-2 and Jogighopa terminal as Bhutan's gateway to global trade, including potential development of Manas and Sankosh rivers and maritime training for Bhutanese youth at the Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh.
Seafarer Workforce Growth and Gender Inclusion
India's maritime workforce has shown remarkable growth, with seafarers increasing from 1.27 lakh to 3.23 lakh over twelve years, elevating India from fifth place in 2015 to the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers with over 12% of the global workforce. Women's participation has seen particularly strong growth, with active women seafarers rising from 1,599 in 2021 to 7,033 in 2025, supported by the Sagar Mein Samman initiative. India aims to further increase women's share through Mission 20% by 2030. Training programs have been enhanced through shipyard-ITI partnerships providing 150 hours of on-the-job training and a structured six-month onboard program for GP Rating and Maritime Catering trainees.
Additional Bilateral Engagements and Infrastructure Performance
Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur held separate bilateral meetings with Greece, Lithuania, Mozambique, and Myanmar. With Greece's Deputy Minister Stefanos Gkikas, discussions focused on strengthening India-Greece maritime cooperation. With Lithuania's Transport Minister Juras Taminskas, Thakur proposed a work plan for the MoU between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Port of Klaipėda, discussing direct shipping links and green port cooperation. With Mozambique's Transport Minister João Jorge Matlombe, India offered expertise in ports, shipbuilding, ship repair, and seafarer training. With Myanmar's Deputy Transport Minister U Tun Lu, discussions covered the next phase of Sittwe Port, cross-border inland water trade, and maritime safety in the Bay of Bengal.
Port Infrastructure and Operational Performance
Over the last twelve years, India has achieved significant improvements in port infrastructure and efficiency. Port capacity has increased from 1,561 to 2,817 MTPA, while cargo handled has grown from 1,052 to 1,668 million tonnes. Inland waterways cargo has shown exceptional growth from 29 to 218 million tonnes. Operational efficiency has improved substantially, with median container vessel turnaround time reducing from 35 to 23 hours. The Sagarmanthan event itself has grown from 1,700+ delegates from 61 countries in 2024 to participation from over 70 countries this year, including 10 visiting ministers, and has produced 100+ publications strengthening India's role in the global maritime order.
India is pushing to build green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol capacity to transform Indian ports into green fuel bunkering hubs, aligned with the Net Zero 2070 commitment. The ministry emphasized turning dialogue into joint research, investment, and technology partnerships for safer seas, greener shipping, and shared prosperity.