Speaking eloquently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India faces no formidable global foe. Instead, he pinpointed the nation’s greatest adversary: its dependence on other countries.
To overcome this challenge, the Prime Minister emphasized the urgent need for India, with its 1.4 billion people, to achieve complete self-reliance, or ‘Atma Nirbhar’, by 2047. This, he stated, is crucial for fostering national pride and securing India’s destiny, free from external influence.
He further championed the ‘Swadeshi’ movement, urging every marketplace to exclusively offer domestically produced goods. ‘We must become absolutely self-reliant and self-sufficient,’ he stressed.
These powerful remarks were delivered during a public address in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Saturday, September 20, 2025. The Prime Minister had just virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for numerous development projects across Gujarat, collectively valued at over ₹34,200 crore, primarily focusing on the vital maritime sector.
The event, aptly titled ‘Samundar se Samridhi’ (Prosperity from the Sea), underscored the government’s commitment to transforming the maritime industry. It was a collaborative effort, organized by the Make in India initiative, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Gujarat Government, and the Gujarat Maritime Board.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated his core belief that an excessive reliance on foreign entities inevitably leads to national setbacks. He emphasized that for the sake of global peace, stability, and prosperity, it is imperative for India, as the world’s most populous nation, to become entirely self-reliant. ‘Whether it’s chips or ships, we must manufacture them right here in India,’ he asserted.
Highlighting India’s inherent capabilities, Mr. Modi lamented that post-independence, previous ruling parties overlooked the nation’s innate strengths. Consequently, he noted, ‘Even after six to seven decades of freedom, India failed to achieve the success it genuinely deserved.’
He attributed this shortfall to two primary factors: a prolonged entanglement in a restrictive license-quota regime and a significant isolation from global markets. Furthermore, he claimed that with the advent of globalization, previous administrations prioritized imports, leading to widespread corruption and scams valued at thousands of crores.
Turning to the maritime sector, Mr. Modi recalled India’s historical prominence as a leading maritime power and a major shipbuilding hub. Indian-built ships once facilitated a substantial portion of both domestic and international trade, with over 40% of import-export handled by indigenous vessels even fifty years ago. However, he stated, this vital sector suffered due to misguided policies that favored paying freight to foreign ships over strengthening domestic shipbuilding. This approach caused the collapse of India’s shipbuilding ecosystem, leading to an enforced reliance on international fleets. Today, a staggering 95% of India’s trade depends on foreign ships, a situation the Prime Minister described as a significant national economic drain.
He presented striking figures: India currently spends nearly $75 billion (approximately six lakh crore Rupees) annually on foreign shipping services. This enormous sum, he noted, is comparable to India’s entire defense budget.
Reflecting on this, he urged the audience to consider the immense wealth transferred to other countries in freight payments over the past seven decades, highlighting that this outflow of funds has inadvertently generated millions of jobs outside India.
The Prime Minister then announced a landmark decision to bolster India’s maritime sector: the government now officially recognizes large ships as part of the infrastructure sector. This classification, he believes, will fundamentally transform the industry.
He further revealed that, effective immediately, all major ports nationwide would be streamlined by eliminating cumbersome multi-document requirements and fragmented processes. The implementation of ‘One Nation, One Document’ and ‘One Nation, One Port’ policies is set to significantly simplify trade and commerce across the country.
He passionately argued that reviving India’s ancient legacy as a premier shipbuilding nation would trigger a powerful chain reaction. ‘The shipbuilding industry is not merely a single sector,’ he explained, ‘it encompasses and stimulates numerous other industries, thereby creating vast employment opportunities. It truly is the “Mother of all Industries.”‘
He announced an investment of over ₹70,000 crore into these initiatives in the coming years. Highlighting impressive progress, he noted that India has doubled its port capacity over the past eleven years. Furthermore, the average ship turnaround time, which was two days before 2014, has now been dramatically reduced to less than one day.
The Prime Minister also proudly mentioned the recent operationalization of India’s first deep-water container trans-shipment port in Kerala. Looking ahead, he confirmed that the Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra is undergoing development with an investment exceeding ₹75,000 crore, slated to become one of the world’s top ten ports.
He detailed ongoing efforts to develop large ports nationwide, capable of accommodating massive vessels, and to enhance coastal and inland connectivity through flagship programs like Sagarmala.
While acknowledging India’s current 10% share in global maritime trade, the Prime Minister stressed the imperative to significantly boost this figure. He set an ambitious target: by 2047, India aims to triple its participation in global sea trade.
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of preserving and showcasing India’s rich maritime heritage for both future generations and the international community. He announced plans for a world-class maritime museum in Lothal, envisioning it as a new emblem of India’s identity, much like the iconic Statue of Unity.
The event saw the presence of several distinguished guests, including Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, and Union Ministers C.R. Patil, Sarbananda Sonowal, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Shantanu Thakur, and Ms. Nimuben Bambhaniya, among other dignitaries.