Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation, Amit Shah inaugurated the India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025 at the NESCO Exhibition Centre here today, marking the beginning of the world’s largest maritime gathering, which showcases India’s maritime resurgence and its vision of transforming the nation into a global maritime leader by 2047.
In his inaugural address, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the maritime sector represents India’s strength, stability, and sustainability. “This is India’s maritime moment — one that is transforming the Gateway of India into the Gateway of the World,” he declared. “Due to the deep structural reforms initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India today stands as an emerging force on the global maritime map.”
The Home Minister noted that India’s strategic location and extensive coastline provide it with unparalleled maritime advantages. “Our 11,000 kilometres long coastline, 13 coastal states, and 23.7 lakh square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone make India a natural maritime power. Around 60 percent of our GDP is contributed by coastal states, and nearly 800 million people depend on the sea for their livelihood,” Shah said.
Highlighting India’s growing leadership in the Indo-Pacific, the Home Minister said, “Leveraging its maritime position, democratic stability, and naval capability, India is acting as a bridge between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, fostering development, security, and environmental progress.”
Shah emphasised that the government’s maritime policy, rooted in Prime Minister Modi’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), aims to strengthen India’s role as a global maritime hub. “India’s maritime strength lies not in competition but in cooperation,” he said. “Our goal is to build a green maritime future that accelerates growth while maintaining harmony with nature.”
