Breaking News: PM Modi Criticizes Congress for Neglecting India's Shipping Sector During Gujarat Visit | ABP NEWS

During his recent visit to Bhavnagar, Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a scathing speech, criticizing the Congress party for its policies that he claimed crippled India's shipping industry. Modi highlighted the damage done by the Congress government’s focus on import reliance instead of nurturing India's domestic industries. The Prime Minister explained that India, historically a maritime powerhouse, was once a global leader in shipbuilding. Until about 50 years ago, over 40% of India's import-export trade was handled by ships built in the country. However, with Congress' neglect of the domestic shipping sector, the country became dependent on foreign ships for trade. Modi lamented that today, India's reliance on foreign ships has grown so severe that only 5% of the nation's trade is handled by Indian ships, leaving 95% to foreign vessels. He argued that this shift towards foreign dependency stunted the growth of India's shipbuilding industry and cost the country significantly. Modi’s remarks underscored his commitment to reversing this trend, emphasizing the importance of revitalizing India’s shipping sector to restore the country’s maritime strength and economic self-reliance.