India Seeks South Korea's Support to Break Into Top 5 Shipbuilding Nations by 2047

India's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, carried out a four-day visit to South Korea starting October 25, 2026, to seek Korean expertise in shipbuilding, manufacturing and maritime technology. The stated goal is for India to become one of the world's top five shipbuilding nations by 2047.

The visit comes six months after India and South Korea adopted the VOYAGES framework to expand cooperation in shipbuilding, shipping and logistics, agreed during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to India in April 2026. Under this framework, a mega shipyard is being developed in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million gross tonnes, the result of an agreement between HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Tamil Nadu's National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, and Sagarmala Finance Corporation. The project is expected to generate around 15,000 direct jobs once operations stabilize.

In Busan, Sonowal held meetings with South Korean maritime institutions, shipbuilders and shipping lines, as well as a bilateral meeting with Cyprus's Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis. Among those he met with were Sejin Heavy Industries, with which a possible joint manufacture of LNG and LPG cargo tanks, cryogenic structures and large-scale ship blocks was explored, and the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute (KOMERI), with which testing, certification, research, green propulsion and smart technology were discussed. South Korean shipping line HMM expressed interest in investing in ship flagging in India, in the upcoming Vadhvan port, and in containers manufactured in the country, while the Korea Ocean Business Corporation examined investment opportunities in Indian port infrastructure and shipping.

The Indian government reported that it approved a shipbuilding support package worth approximately $7.8 billion, authorized in September 2025, which served as a policy anchor during talks with Korean shipyards. It also confirmed the development of large shipbuilding clusters and an aggregate prospective demand of more than 400 vessels for public agencies and domestic needs over a ten-year horizon, valued at around $23 billion. In parallel, Cyprus backed India's efforts to obtain European Union recognition for Indian ship recycling facilities, and about 25 Cypriot companies are expected to visit India in November to explore partnerships in shipping, ship management and maritime technology.

The Indian government's vision, known as the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aims to position the country among the world's five largest shipbuilding nations, with a target annual shipbuilding output of 4.5 million gross tonnes. Sonowal also urged Indian professionals working in the South Korean shipbuilding industry to act as bridges between both countries and to take part in initiatives such as the India Ship Technology Centre.