Maritime summit lands investment of ₹2.37 lakh crore on second day

The Global Maritime India Summit 2023 saw a major investment of ₹2.37 lakh crore and the signing of 70 MoUs in various maritime sector industries. Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized the importance of sustainable development in the maritime sector and held bilateral meetings with ministers from Italy, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka. Additionally, strategies for developing inland waterways and promoting coastal shipping were discussed.

The Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 recorded a major investment of ₹2.37 lakh crore on its second day on Wednesday. Nearly 70 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed in various maritime sector industries such as port development and modernisation, green hydrogen and ammonia, port-led development, business and commerce, ship-building, knowledge-sharing and port connectivity. On Wednesday, MoUs with a focus on sustainable development were signed in the presence of union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

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“The Global Maritime India Summit 2023 has ushered in a new age in sustainable development in the country with a record number of 70 MoUs and an investment of ₹2.37 lakh crore,” said Sonowal. “The maritime sector is playing an instrumental role in paving the way for India to set sail towards green sustainability transportation. We are giving a major thrust to future growth multipliers.”

Sonowal also held bilateral meetings with ministers from Italy, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. The first meeting was with Edoardo Rixi, Italy’s deputy minister for infrastructure and transport, where both ministers agreed to enhance maritime cooperation on identified industries in order to build on the robust maritime relationship between the two countries. The meeting was also attended by shipping secretary T K Ramachandran.

During the second meeting, Sonowal met Suleiman Masoud Makame, the minister for blue economy and fisheries in the Zanzibar revolutionary government. The third meeting was with Nirmal Siripala De Silva, Sri Lanka’s minister of ports, shipping and aviation. Sonowal and De Silva discussed multiple issues to further strengthen the maritime relationship between the two countries.

Union minister of road transport & highways Nitin Gadkari deliberated virtually on developing inland waterways as an integrated element of multimodal economic corridors. Strategies and a roadmap to promote coastal shipping as the preferred mode of transport were also discussed.