Maritime India Summit 2016: Indians are inheritors of a glorious maritime heritage, says PM Narendra Modi

Mumbai: Stressing on the importance of maritime transport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday insisted that everyone should make sure that our lifestyle, transport systems and trading behaviour do not spoil the ecology of the oceans. "Maritime transport can be the most extensive mode of transport. It is also the most eco-friendly mode of transport. But we have to make sure that our lifestyle; transport systems and trading behaviour do not spoil the ecology of the oceans," he said at the inauguration of the Maritime India Summit 2016 here. Prime Minister Modi said the challenges of climate change have shown that even offshore human behaviour can change the ecology of glaciers and oceans. He also said that the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was also the architect of the water and river navigation policy in India.

"Many of us may not know that Babasaheb created two powerful institutions related to water, navigation and power. They were-The Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission and The Central Technical Power Board. Dr Ambedkar emphasised on the importance of new waterways policy to lay the foundation for a regime of prosperity for millions of poor of India," he said. The Prime Minister also asserted that his government has embarked on the development of National Waterways in keeping with Babasaheb's vision and foresight. Prime Minister Modi also lauded the efforts of the Shipping Ministry, saying the performance of major ports in the last two years has been remarkable. "The operating profit margins, which were declining have increased. Our vision is to increase port efficiency. We want to enable growth with investments and new ports being developed. Private Ports have been growing at a very healthy pace and have nearly doubled their capacity in the last five years. Our vision is to increase port capacity from one thousand, four hundred million tonnes to three thousand million tonnes by 2025. We want to mobilise an investment of one lakh crore," he said. "We Indians are inheritors of a glorious maritime heritage. It is my government's endeavour to revive and restore India's position of eminence in the global maritime sector. In the very early days of our government, we announced the Sagarmala programme. We want to modernize ports and integrate them with the SEZs, Port based Smart Cities, Industrial Parks, Warehouses, Logistics Parks. Our maritime agenda will complement this ambitious infrastructure plan for the hinterland which is going on in parallel," he added. The Prime Minister also said the long coastline of India, along with diverse coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an engine of growth of India. "The maritime sector not only creates and facilitates economic activities; it also connects countries and civilisations. India has had a glorious maritime history. We are on the path of shaping an even better maritime future," he said. The objective of the three-day Maritime India Summit is to attract potential investors to the vast opportunities that the various components of the Maritime Sector have on offer. It will showcase projects covering sectors like port development and modernization, Greenfield ports, port led development under 'Sagarmala', shipbuilding, ship repair and ship breaking, inland water transportation, coastal shipping, lighthouse tourism and cruise shipping, hinterland connectivity and logistics handling facilities to the potential investors from across the world.