Union Home Minister Amit Shah set to kick off India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai; know what is it all about

The stage is set for an ambitious and far‐reaching maritime gathering as the India Maritime Week 2025 (IMW 2025) launches on October 27 at the NESCO Grounds (Bombay Exhibition Centre) in Mumbai. The event is organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in partnership with the Indian Ports Association. This five‐day event running through October 31 will convene business leaders, government officials, industry experts and international delegates under the theme “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision.”

As per the official announcement made by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on their official website, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the event on Monday morning, joined by the chief ministers of key coastal states — Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Pramod Sawant (Goa) and Mohan Charan Majhi (Odisha).


With participation from ministers and delegations from 11 countries, IMW 2025 aims to spotlight India’s evolving position as a maritime hub and a leader in the Blue Economy. The government expects more than 100,000 delegates from 85 + countries, upwards of 500 exhibitors, and more than 350 speakers to engage in conferences, sessions and sectoral dialogues. Investment is at the heart of the event’s aim: officials indicate potential memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across multiple maritime sectors - ports, shipbuilding, logistics, green shipping, and inland waterways.


“Under the dynamic leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, we are working to transform our ports, shipping, and logistics ecosystem into one that is resilient, sustainable, and future-ready. This opens vast avenues for international collaboration, including a 1 trillion US dollars maritime investment roadmap. IMW 2025 will be a platform where ideas can translate into projects and commitments into partnerships. India stands ready to collaborate and lead towards a maritime future that is prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive,” the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (as reported by Press Information Bureau (PIB) Mumbai)


The Indian maritime sector plays a decisive role in national economic strategy. With over 95 per cent of the country’s trade by volume moving through its ports, the push to become a global maritime hub is central to the government’s vision of elevating India’s global footprint. The event aligns with policy frameworks like the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

States, too, will use this week to highlight regional investment opportunities — coastal states such as Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and others will hold dedicated sessions to attract infrastructure, logistics and port-related ventures.


What to expect

Beyond the high‐level meetings and ministerial addresses, IMW 2025 will host:

• Flagship conferences such as the Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS 2025), the QUAD “Ports of the Future” conference, The Great Oceans Dialogue and the SheEO Conference.
• Exhibition halls will feature 400 + exhibitors and displays of maritime technologies, innovations, shipbuilding equipment, logistics solutions and sustainability platforms.
• Country sessions with Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, as well as state/UT sessions from 11 regions.
• The Prime Minister’s special address on October 29, followed by a Global CEO Forum with leading shipping and logistics executives.

IMW 2025 presents a clear signal: India’s maritime ambition is backed by policy, infrastructure and market scale. With MoUs and investment pledges, the week could mark the turning point in India’s transition from coastal nation to a global maritime leader. For the country, the event helps consolidate its coastal logistics network, harness its Blue Economy potential, and boost coastal industrialisation, job creation and technology deployment.


As Mumbai gears up to host one of the world’s largest maritime shows, all eyes will be on how India projects itself on the global maritime stage and how effectively it uses this platform to turn ambition into tangible partnerships and investments. The week may well define the contours of India’s maritime ascent in the decade ahead, shaping a future where the nation truly stands as a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and oceanic excellence.