In April 2025, the Maharashtra State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, approved the ‘Shipbuilding, Ship Repair and Ship Recycling Policy 2025;, making Maharashtra the first state in India to introduce a dedicated policy in the maritime manufacturing sector.
- This initiative aligns with the Union Government’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aimed at positioning India among the top five countries in global shipbuilding by 2047.
Objectives of the Policy:
The policy focuses on transforming Maharashtra into a maritime hub through:
i.Investment of Rs 6,600 crore by 2030, with a target of generating 40,000 jobs by then.
ii.Investment of Rs 18,000 crore by 2047, with a target of 3.3 lakh jobs in the maritime sector.
iii.Contributing to one-third of India’s shipbuilding targets by 2030.
Key Provisions of the Policy:
The policy will be implemented and monitored by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB). It includes:
i.Financial Incentives:
- Capital subsidy of 15% of project cost.
- Up to Rs 1 crore per project for skill development.
- Up to Rs 25 crore for research and development (R&D).
ii.Land Allocation: Concessional land allotment on long-term leases of 30 years (renewable).
iii.Infrastructure Development:
- Streamlined approvals and infrastructure support (power, water, road, connectivity).
- Development of marine shipyard clusters, dry docks, and green ship recycling zones.
Global and National Context:
i.India ranks 21st globally in shipbuilding (1% share), 20th in ship repair, but 2nd in ship recycling (32.6% global share).
- In contrast, China (50%), South Korea (28%), and Japan (15%) dominate global shipbuilding.
ii.Maharashtra holds 11% of India’s shipbuilding capacity and 21% of production.
Note: As per the Union Budget 2025–26, the Government of India(GoI) has allocated Rs 25,000 crore to the Maritime Development Fund (MDF) to boost India’s maritime infrastructure. Ships above a specified size are also now included under the Harmonised Master List (HML) for infrastructure status.
About the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal (Constituency – Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shantanu Thakur (Constituency – Bangaon, West Bengal, WB)
