India and Japan agrees to deepen Maritime Relations
OSLO : Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Indian Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways met Japan’s Vice Minister for International Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism (MLITT) His Excellency, Terada Yoshimichi in Oslo on Monday 2nd June.
In the meeting they have discussed about increasing partnership between Indian and Japanese shipyards including Greenfield investment such as Imabari Shipbuilding in Andhra Pradesh and others. Opportunities for co-development of ports and maritime industrial clusters as clean energy hubs were also gauged for mutual cooperation. Sonowal expressed India’s interest in leading Japanese shipbuilding companies such as Imabari Shipbuilding, JMUC, Kanagawa Dockyard, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to explore joint ventures and collaborative arrangements with Indian yards. Sonowal added that, “Japan’s expertise in shipbuilding and ship repair is well recognised, and I see great scope for collaboration in this area. We also invite Japan’s Big Three maritime companies—NYK Line, MOL, and K Line—to explore joint ventures and investment opportunities in India’s growing maritime sector. With our strong bilateral relationship, India’s growing maritime industry present a unique opportunity for Japanese shipyards to invest in India in shipbuilding. Collaboration on port digitisation and green port initiatives will further strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our maritime logistics network“.
Japan’s Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism (MLIT) Terada Yoshimichi expressed that India and Japan have very intimate relationship. Japan has been engaged in railway infrastructure development with India but now ‘very interested in maritime sector’. Prospects of mutual collaboration in shipbuilding and training of seafarers were discussed and considered positively. He expressed satisfaction over the meeting.
Emphasising the need to deepen bilateral ties in maritime training and development, as well as cooperation in research and development, both sides agreed to further strengthen collaboration in the maritime sector, especially on sustainable maritime technologies and next-generation ship design. Shri Sonowal evinced India’s interest for a MoU for a framework to avail promising avenues for collaboration with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Indian universities, and public agencies.
After the meeting, Shri Sonowal said, “The strong & deep Indo Japanese ties are rooted in mutual trust and shared values — democracy, freedom, and civilisational connection. Today’s discussions with His Excellency, Vice Minister Terada Yoshimichi, paved the way to elevate our maritime cooperation further. Japan is one of India’s most trusted investors. We deeply value this relationship. Under Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji’s leadership, India aims to scale new heights with a target of five trillion yen (₹3.2 lakh crore) in investments with Japan by 2027. India will work closely with Japan toward a sustainable future, guided by our shared vision of advanced maritime cooperation that contributes meaningfully to global progress & mutual benefit for both countries.”
The meeting was also attended by Onishi Yasushi, Maritime Bureau, MLIT, Hioki Miki, Maritime Bureau, MLIT, Ihara Takumar, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Norway & Kimura Hiroko along with Terada Yoshimichi. The Union Minister was joined by Dr Acquino Vimal, Ambassador of India to Norway, Venkatesapathy S, Joint secretary (Shipping), MoPSW; Mandeep Singh Randhawa, Director (MA&MT), Puneet Agarwal, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, MoPSW, Madhu S Nair, CMD, Cochin Shipyard Limited, Amit Kumar, IAS, Private Secretary, MoPSW among other officials.
