Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on 26 May 2025 announced a nationwide 'Maritime Reform Utsav' to commemorate 12 years of maritime reforms and growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. The celebration will spotlight India's transformation across ports, shipping, inland waterways, coastal infrastructure, green shipping, digitalisation, and maritime connectivity.

What the Maritime Reform Utsav Will Showcase

The Maritime Reform Utsav is designed to highlight India's emergence as a leading global maritime nation. According to the minister, the initiative will cover major achievements in coastal infrastructure, green shipping, digital integration, and maritime connectivity — areas where the ministry claims significant progress over the past decade-plus.

Sonowal described the sector's journey through the mantra of 'Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform', framing the utsav as a public accounting of what that trajectory has delivered. 'The Maritime Reform Utsav will celebrate the journey of India becoming a modern, efficient and globally competitive maritime power,' he said.

High-Level Review and Reform Roadmap

Sonowal chaired a high-level review meeting with senior ministry officials, where a comprehensive reform-driven roadmap was outlined to accelerate India's maritime transformation. The meeting centred on strengthening governance, improving ease of doing business (EODB), enhancing digital integration, and ensuring time-bound implementation of key maritime initiatives through an accountable institutional mechanism.

The minister directed officials to constitute a dedicated monitoring and coordination committee for the compilation, review, and follow-up of outcomes, commitments, and strategic initiatives — signalling a push for measurable accountability rather than broad declarations.

Integrated Digital Platform Under DG Shipping

In a significant governance move, the ministry decided to develop an integrated digital platform and mobile application under the Directorate General of Shipping. The proposed platform will offer enhanced stakeholder interface, real-time service delivery, digital documentation, grievance redressal, and integrated maritime services through a unified digital ecosystem.

This comes amid a broader national push to digitise government services, with the maritime sector historically lagging in seamless digital delivery compared to sectors such as aviation and banking.

Inter-Ministerial Coordination Push

Sonowal stressed the importance of stronger coordination among ministries, state governments, port authorities, maritime institutions, and industry stakeholders to ensure faster decision-making and smoother implementation of major maritime and logistics projects. He directed officials to enhance inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms and institutional consultations for improved policy execution and monitoring.

Notably, logistics efficiency — including port turnaround times and last-mile connectivity — has been a persistent challenge for India's trade competitiveness, making this coordination directive consequential beyond the maritime sector alone.

What Comes Next

The ministry is expected to roll out the Maritime Reform Utsav programme details in the coming weeks, with events likely spanning major port cities and maritime institutions. The integrated digital platform's timeline has not yet been disclosed. Industry bodies and port authorities will be watched closely for their response to the new monitoring committee mandate.