New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday underscored the transformative potential of India's maritime sector in driving economic growth, as two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged at the Delhi School of Economics.

The MoU between the University of Delhi and the Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity (CMEC) at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) aims to strengthen maritime education, research and capacity building in alignment with India's long-term maritime vision.

Addressing a seminar on 'Blue Economy: Its Imperatives for a Viksit Bharat', Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, 'As we move towards Viksit Bharat, the maritime sector will play an even more transformative role in driving India's economic growth, trade competitiveness and sustainable development. By strengthening the maritime talent pipeline-the core objective of this MoU-we are building a robust ecosystem to meet the growing demand for world-class maritime professionals, both in quality and scale, positioning India as a global leader in the sector. Under PM Narendra Modi ji's vision, India is aligning education, policy & innovation to emerge as a global maritime leader.'

Highlighting India's strategic maritime advantages, the minister noted that with a coastline of over 11,000 kilometres and 111 national waterways (NWs), strengthening the maritime ecosystem is a national imperative. Sonowal emphasised that the government's maritime vision, guided by the SAGAR and MAHASAGAR doctrines, reflects a commitment to regional cooperation, maritime security and shared prosperity.

The MoU seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between academia and policy institutions, with a focus on skill development, capacity building and research in emerging maritime domains. Key areas of cooperation include development of academic frameworks for maritime courses, joint research projects, training programs, knowledge dissemination and professional counselling for students.

Sonowal described the collaboration as a 'forward-looking step' that bridges academia and industry, creating opportunities for youth to engage with India's expanding maritime sector.

The Shipping Minister stressed that human capital will be central to India's maritime ambitions, noting that the country's seafaring workforce has nearly tripled in the past 12 years and now contributes about 12% of the global maritime workforce, with a target to reach 20% by 2030. 'MoU between University of Delhi & CMEC to boost maritime education, research and skill development', Sonowal said.

The Union Minister also highlighted that India's maritime transformation is being driven by an integrated approach encompassing port-modernisation, multi-modal connectivity, sustainability initiatives and digitalisation.

He pointed to flagship programs such as Sagarmala and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 as key enablers of this growth trajectory.

The collaboration is expected to open new avenues for students and researchers in fields such as maritime logistics, green shipping, supply chain management and maritime policy, contributing to the broader vision of a sustainable and globally competitive Blue Economy.

During the event, an additional MoU was also exchanged between RIS and the Delhi School of Economics (DSE) to promote joint programmes in public policy research and training.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, academic leaders, faculty members and students, marking a significant step towards integrating education, research and policy in India's maritime sector. (ANI)