GANDHINAGAR: The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) participated in the India Ship Leasing and Financing Summit 2026, held at GIFT City Club, Gandhinagar, with senior policymakers, financial institutions, ship owners, lessors, maritime experts and industry stakeholders deliberating on measures to strengthen India’s ship ownership, ship leasing and maritime financing ecosystem.
The summit was organised by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) with the support of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
During the Industry Engagement Session on “Establishing Ship Ownership, Ship Leasing and Ship Financing Ecosystem in GIFT IFSC,” Shri Shyam Jagannathan, DGMA, joined senior government officials and industry leaders in discussions on accelerating the development of GIFT IFSC as a globally competitive centre for ship ownership, leasing and maritime finance.
The discussions focused on key areas including regulatory reforms, taxation frameworks, ease of doing business, global benchmarking and measures to attract maritime capital to India. Stakeholders also examined ways to strengthen India’s participation in international shipping and create a more enabling environment for ship owners, lessors and maritime investors.
DGMA highlighted the transformative reforms introduced through the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 and the Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, which have expanded opportunities for ship ownership, leasing and maritime investment in India.
The deliberations also highlighted policy measures aimed at providing greater flagging flexibility, streamlining ship registration processes and expanding digital service delivery through eSamudra. These initiatives are intended to make India’s maritime regulatory framework more efficient, transparent and responsive to the evolving requirements of the global shipping industry.
The summit further emphasised the role of GIFT IFSC in developing a stronger maritime financing and leasing ecosystem. By bringing together financial institutions, regulators, ship owners, lessors and maritime businesses, the platform seeks to facilitate greater access to capital and create new opportunities for India’s shipping and maritime services sectors.
The discussions underscored the importance of continued collaboration between policymakers, regulators, financial institutions and industry stakeholders to establish a globally competitive maritime services ecosystem in India.
The DGMA’s participation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting India’s ambition of becoming a leading maritime nation, by facilitating investment, encouraging innovation, strengthening regulatory frameworks and enabling sustainable growth across the shipping and shipbuilding sectors.
The India Ship Leasing and Financing Summit 2026 thus marked an important platform for advancing India’s maritime finance agenda and strengthening the country’s capabilities across the global shipping value chain.
