India, Feb. 4 -- India's ambition to be a global maritime hub is no longer just aspirational rhetoric. With 12 major ports and more than 200 non-major ports situated along a 7,517-km coastline, complemented by a vast network of navigable waterways, the raw potential has always been immense. Today, sustained public investment, institutional reforms, and a coherent policy vision are turning the prospect of a maritime powerhouse into an achievable reality within the coming decade. President Droupadi Murmu articulated this path during her address to the joint session of Parliament on January 28, charting a course for India to become a world-class seafaring power. She laid out a comprehensive way forward, involving smart seaport policies, a massive investment of Rs.70,000 crore, and bold reforms aimed at transforming the nation into a hub where ships carrying the goods of a burgeoning economy glide efficiently into modern docks. The President stressed the importance of updating maritime laws and flipping the script on a trade landscape where cargo mostly sails on foreign vessels. For the average citizen, these macro-economic shifts translate to tangible micro-economic benefits: Cheaper goods on shopping shelves and increased job opportunities in coastal towns. The maritime sector is no longer just big business; it is the backbone of India's high economic growth, facilitating more than 95% of our tangible foreign trade. Indian seaports are getting faster, smarter, and more competitive. The numbers tell an exciting story of progress. The World Bank's 2023 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) saw India's global ranking climb from 54th to 38th in just a decade, while its ranking for international shipments rose to 22nd. Perhaps most impressive is the operational turnaround: Container dwell time at our seaports has dropped to three days, and the turnover time is now a swift 0.9 days-a rate that outpaces several developed countries. This efficiency is being recognised globally. Nine Indian harbours cracked the top 100 in the 2023 Container Port Performance Index. Furthermore, cargo handling capacity at major docks has doubled over the past decade. The Maritime India Vision and Amrit Kaal Vision are even more ambitious, envisaging an increase in capacity to more than 3,500 and 10,000 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030 and 2047, respectively. These goals reflect a sustained policy emphasis that views the maritime sector as a multiplier for economic activity and a source of gainful employment for the youth. A sound legal and structural foundation has been laid through the revamping of antiquated laws. The enactment of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025, the Indian Ports Act, 2025, and the Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, represents a shift in governance. These laws aim to reduce logistics costs and improve multimodal connectivity, ensuring that the movement of goods is seamless from the hinterland to the high seas. Programmes, such as Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti, have already initiated large-scale investments in port modernisation and mechanisation. Yet, a significant challenge persists: Despite handling massive volumes, India remains heavily reliant on foreign transshipment hubs, and 95% of its trade is carried on foreign ships. To address this, the India Shipbuilding Mission aims to strengthen the entire value chain, seeking to improve India's global shipbuilding rank from its current position of 16. Budget-2026 further accelerated this momentum by announcing a multi-pronged strategy to promote "environmentally savvy" cargo movement. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years and launched a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme. This initiative incentivises a shift from rail and road to water, aiming to increase the share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from 6% to 12% by 2047. New initiatives, such as the Dedicated Freight Corridor linking Dankuni in the east with Surat in the west, will play a crucial role in fulfilling the President's vision of a connected, efficient India. To reach the pinnacle of the global maritime hierarchy, India must look toward the models of Dubai and China. Dubai's seaport costs remain significantly lower than India's due to superior operational efficiency and advanced automation. China, meanwhile, excels in integrated, value-added services such as container manufacturing. For India to transform into a global hub, it must adopt a collaborative governance approach that integrates infrastructure with financial innovation and skill development. Moving beyond mere cargo volumes, India must capture value-added services, including ship finance, marine insurance, maritime legal and arbitration services, and ship management. Expanding these services via hubs like GIFT City will help India reduce freight and insurance outflows while creating high-skill employment. By reviving domestic shipbuilding and expanding repair facilities, India can anchor shipping activity within its borders. Furthermore, as global shipping transitions toward green fuels and decarbonisation, India can position itself as a leader in sustainable maritime technologies. With its geographic centrality, India is a natural conduit for trade between African economies and the rest of the world. By aligning port governance and digital systems with global best practices, India is not just building ports; it is securing its place as the central node of 21st-century global commerce....