Maritime summit to boost India’s coastal infrastructure

With growing global aspirations, India has been pursuing a pro-active maritime policy in recent times. The Maritime India summit, which will be held from April 14-16 in Mumbai, seeks to attract potential investors to the vast opportunities that the Maritime Sector offers. “During the recent summit of heads of African nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed desire that India can join hands with various African nations for building roads and ports. My ministry will take up such works once the responsibility is given to us,” Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said that adequate measures would be taken to ensure the security of the facilities created along India’s coastline from any terrorist threats. Investment deals worth Rs 2 lakh crore are expected to be signed at the maritime India summit. “India is also set to double its ports capacity to 3000 million tonnes (MT) by 2025,” Mr Gadkari said.  Around 40 countries in addition to India and South Korea, which is the partner country, will participate in the Summit. The first ever Maritime India Summit 2016 will be inaugurated by Mr Modi in Mumbai on April 14. Mr Gadkari also said that adequate measures would be taken to ensure the security of the facilities created along India’s coastline from terrorist threats. Efforts would be made to see to it that the environmental concerns were also addressed without impeding development, he added. India has also expressed interest to develop ports for other countries including Africa, Bangladesh and Iran. “India has already taken preliminary steps to construct a deep water port at Payra in south western Bangladesh,” Mr Gadkari said. India has already pledged $20 billion to develop Chabahar port in Iran during Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s visit to Tehran on April 9. “India is very much keen to develop Chabahar port in Iran and connecting Chabhar to Kandla will have an immense impact in long term perspective,” Mr Gadkari said.