MUMBAI: Union Home and Cooperation minister Amit Shah inaugurated the India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai on Monday, marking India’s rise as a global maritime power and calling the current time “India’s Maritime Moment”.
The event was presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, along with several other guests.
Amit Shah, in his speech, stated that Mumbai—the city famous for its Gateway of India—is now turning into the “Gateway to the World” as India is bolstering its maritime economy by means of structural reforms.
He mentioned that India’s 11,000 km-long coastline and 13 coastal states are adding almost 60 per cent to the national GDP, while India’s 23.7 lakh sq. km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) draws in foreign investors.
Shah pointed out that 38 nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) collectively provide about 12 per cent of the world’s exports, and the summit provides a platform to highlight India’s huge potential to international investors and leaders of the maritime industry.
He added that India, using its oceanic location, democratic stability, and naval power, is acting as a bridge between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, promoting growth, security, and sustainability.