Indian shipbuilding is on the upswing – and according to government talks, Russia is planning huge investments on the subcontinent. Interested parties from other nations have also already come forward.
India has ambitious plans for shipbuilding; by 2050, the country wants to become one of the largest nations in the world in this sector. It can hope for support from Russia in this endeavor.
At a meeting between a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indian officials, the focus was on potential cooperation in numerous segments of the maritime industry. Among other things, Russia expressed its willingness to support India in its goals for environmentally friendly shipbuilding, crew training and marine research. The cooperation should also include port infrastructure and maritime logistics. In addition, measures to develop databases and further steps to reduce the costs of modernizing the Indian fleet have been proposed.
“We can offer India interesting initiatives in shipbuilding, including the provision of existing or the development of new designs for fishing, passenger and work vessels,” Nikolai Patrushev, advisor to the president and chairman of the Russian Maritime Administration, told Indian officials in New Delhi. “We have extensive experience in building specialized ships – such as ice-class vessels, not to mention icebreakers – in which Russia is unrivalled.”
Apparently, there are already concrete plans to set up shipbuilding and repair facilities in the port cities of Mumbai and Chennai. Further decisions are expected in the course of December. A meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi is planned. The Indian head of state has already said in advance that India must reduce its dependence on foreign shipping companies. This is to be achieved, among other things, by founding its own state shipping company.
International interest in India
It was only in September that India approved a financial package worth billions to be invested in shipbuilding. The investment is part of the “Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”, which aims to make the country a leading shipbuilding nation. India is also looking for partnerships in the naval sector – including in Germany. The Kiel shipyard TKMS has initiated a cooperation with its Indian partner Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDS) to build a total of six submarines. The order is worth an estimated $5 billion.
More recently, other nations and companies have expressed interest in India in various ways. French shipping company CMA CGM, for example, has announced that it will have a series of container ships built at India’s largest shipyard, Cochin Shipyard, for the first time. This involves six ships of 1,700 TEU each. The Arab conglomerate DP World is planning an investment of $5 billion to further expand its supply chain network in India. And the South Korean shipbuilding company HD Hyundai is also seeking a strategic connection to the subcontinent, as was announced in November. (JW)
