India Must Add 100 Ships to Merchant Fleet, Says Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
25 Aug 2026Updated 21 days ago1 source
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that India needs to own its trade and add 100 ships to its merchant fleet. According to the National Shipping Board, India currently pays ₹75 billion annually to foreign shipping lines. To address this, the board has proposed a five-year roadmap, despite the fact that operating under an Indian flag is 16% to 20% more expensive.
NIKAN Intelligence
What happened
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal asserted that India needs to expand its merchant fleet by 100 vessels. The National Shipping Board has formulated a five-year strategy to scale down reliance on international carriers for transporting critical cargo.
Why it matters
Reducing reliance on foreign vessels could help India retain a significant portion of the ₹75 billion it currently pays annually to overseas shipping lines. However, the higher operational cost of 16% to 20% under the Indian flag remains a key economic hurdle.
What we know
- India pays foreign shipping lines ₹75 billion annually.
- Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called for adding 100 ships to the domestic merchant fleet.
- The National Shipping Board proposed a five-year roadmap to reduce foreign ship dependence.
- Operating vessels under an Indian flag is 16% to 20% more expensive than under foreign flags.
What we don't know
- The specific policy measures or subsidies intended to offset the 16% to 20% cost disadvantage of operating under an Indian flag.
- The exact timeline and funding mechanism for acquiring the 100 merchant ships.
Generated by NIKAN's analysis engine from the cited reports only. Nothing here is invented; gaps are shown as unknowns. Always read the original coverage linked below.
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