India, Japan Set Sail Toward Deeper Maritime Partnership for Sustainable Future

OSLO ( Norway )- In a significant step toward enhancing bilateral maritime cooperation, India’s Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, met with Terada Yoshimichi, Vice Minister of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism (MLIT), in Oslo, Norway.

The high-level discussions focused on strengthening maritime ties across various domains including shipbuilding, port digitisation, Smart Island development, and seafarer training.

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The leaders emphasized the strategic importance of converting the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands into Smart Islands using sustainable technologies, with Japan lending its expertise in renewable energy, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and digital innovation.

Key proposals included Japanese investments in Indian shipyards, such as Imabari Shipbuilding in Andhra Pradesh, and inviting Japan’s maritime giants — NYK Line, MOL, and K Line — to explore joint ventures in India. Opportunities for co-development of clean energy maritime clusters and the employment of trained Indian seafarers in Japan were also discussed.

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Minister Sonowal also invited Japan to participate in the upcoming India Maritime Week 2025, scheduled for October in Mumbai, and proposed Japanese involvement in the National Maritime Heritage Museum being developed at Lothal, Gujarat.

“India aims to scale new heights with Japan, targeting five trillion yen (₹3.2 lakh crore) in investments by 2027,” said Sonowal, highlighting the strong, trust-based partnership rooted in shared democratic values and regional cooperation frameworks like Quad and SCRI.

Vice Minister Terada praised India’s proactive maritime vision and expressed satisfaction with the potential avenues for future collaboration.