Amit Shah to inaugurate India Maritime Week, push Rs 80-lakh-crore deep-sea fishing drive

Mumbai: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday will inaugurate the India Maritime Week which will spotlight India’s growing leadership in the global maritime ecosystem, drive strategic dialogues, and unlock transformative investment opportunities worth over USD 82 billion across the sector and distribute the state-of-the-art deep-sea fishing vessels underscoring the importance of blue economy.

The inauguration of the five-day IMW 2025, a biennial mega event, will be held at the Nesco Complex at Goregaon while the distribution of deep-sea fishing vessels will be held at the Mazagon Dock.

“India is targeting global leadership in the maritime sector by 2047, with planned investments worth Rs 80 lakh crore, creation of 1.5 crore jobs, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways had said in the run up to the event which will be inaugurated by Shah.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in collaboration with the Indian Ports Association (IPA) and other stakeholders, is hosting the mega-event.

The IMW 2025 would witness participation of over 1 lakh delegates and 500 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, including ministerial delegations from Singapore, the UAE, South Korea, Japan, and Denmark.

At the Mazagon Dock event which will underscore the strategic role of fisheries cooperatives in advancing India’s blue economy and securing coastal livelihoods, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol will be present.

The handing over of the keys of deep-sea fishing vessels to beneficiaries by Shah will mark a historic milestone in cooperative-led deep-sea fishing which will symbolize India’s commitment to self-reliance, sustainability and empowering cooperatives in the fisheries sector.

Deep-sea fishing vessels are being given to the beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojna with unit cost of Rs 1.2 crore with financial support from Government of Maharashtra, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and Department of Fisheries, Government of India.

In view to accelerate cooperative-led deep-sea fishing initiatives through cooperatives and FFPOs a Joint Working Group (JWG) has been constituted by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and Department of Cooperatives, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.

India’s marine fisheries sector has traditionally operated on a modest scale, with fishermen relying on conventional vessels and techniques, typically venturing only up to 40–60 nautical miles from the coastline. This limited operational range has constrained catch volumes and economic returns.

This initiative will empower fisheries cooperative societies and FFPOs to sustainably harness the vast potential of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and High Seas, particularly in regions like Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It is expected to unlock new opportunities in high-value fisheries such as tuna, thereby enhancing India’s seafood exports and strengthening coastal livelihoods.