New Delhi, October 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a “free, open, secure and rules-based maritime order” in a written message to the third edition of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, which opened in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The conference is being organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Observer Research Foundation. In his message, the Prime Minister welcomed policymakers, maritime leaders and experts from around the world.
“Our vision is of a free, open, secure and rules-based maritime order that brings greater peace, prosperity and progress for all. I am confident that Sagarmanthan will give greater strength to this larger vision,” he said.
Oceans and cooperation
Modi said what happens in one part of the world can affect places far beyond its shores, which makes global dialogue and cooperation on the oceans more important. He noted that Sagarmanthan means “churning of the ocean”, which in Indian tradition is linked to discovering new possibilities.
He said India’s maritime vision extends across regions and oceans and rests on cooperation, trust, mutual respect and mutual benefit. “We believe the oceans must become a source of shared prosperity, where every country has a voice and an opportunity to grow,” he wrote.
Ports, laws and seafarers
Linking the country’s maritime plans to the government’s goal of a developed India by 2047, Modi said India was preparing for “a new era of shipbuilding and green shipping”.
According to the Prime Minister, India’s major ports have nearly doubled their capacity while turnaround times have come down significantly. He said new-generation maritime laws had been brought in over the last two years to give the sector a modern framework, and that the government is investing in ocean science and exploration.
He said Indian seafarers now make up the second-largest maritime workforce in the world, and that India is protecting ocean health and coastal ecosystems as it builds a stronger maritime economy.
Modi also traced India’s seafaring history from the ancient port city of Lothal to the Cholas and the naval vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
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