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Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlighted the state’s emergence as India’s maritime powerhouse under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Samudra Se Samridhi’ (Prosperity through Sea) vision during the inauguration of the India Maritime Week 2025 organized by the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways at the Bombay Exhibition Center on Monday.
The program was inaugurated by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in the presence of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha.
Addressing global maritime leaders, innovators and investors from over 100 countries, CM Patel said Gujarat has developed an integrated ecosystem for both “chip and ship” manufacturing, strengthening PM Modi’s goal of a self-reliant India.
He said Gujarat’s two-decade long maritime journey has made it the “maritime gateway of the nation”, handling more than 40 per cent of India’s total cargo traffic.
The state leads the country in LNG-LPG handling – Dahej alone contributes more than 80 per cent of India’s LNG-LPG throughput – and the world’s largest yard in Alang contributes 98 per cent of the country’s ship recycling, he said.
The Chief Minister announced that Gujarat aims to increase the combined capacity of its major and non-major ports to 3,000 MMTPA by 2047 in line with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
He also highlighted the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, calling it a living example of PM Modi’s vision of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” (Development with Heritage).
CM Patel underlined Gujarat’s focus on maritime innovation, skill development and blue economy initiatives including port modernisation, connectivity upgrades under Sagarmala, coastal community development and smart industrial port cities.
He emphasized that Gujarat’s ports today are not only hubs of trade but also engines of employment, industry and development.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were present at the inaugural session, among other dignitaries.
–IANS