Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over ₹34,200 crore in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, under the Samudra se Samriddhi initiative. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister underlined that India’s future lies in becoming self-reliant, particularly in the maritime and shipping sectors.
“For peace, stability and prosperity in the world, India must become self-reliant. Chips or ships, we must make them in India,” PM Modi said, stressing that dependence on other nations undermines national self-respect and hampers long-term development.
The Prime Minister noted that India, once a global leader in shipbuilding, had lost ground due to flawed policies and reliance on foreign vessels. “Today, 95 percent of our trade depends on foreign ships, costing us nearly \$75 billion annually—an amount equal to our defence budget,” he said, adding that the time has come to revive India’s maritime legacy through next-generation reforms.
Announcing a “historic decision” to recognize large ships as infrastructure, PM Modi said the reform would make financing easier for shipbuilding companies and boost India’s competitiveness globally. He also outlined three major schemes worth ₹70,000 crore to strengthen shipbuilding, modernize technology, and improve quality standards in the sector.
The Prime Minister highlighted India’s progress in port-led development, citing reduced ship turnaround times, doubling of port capacity in the past decade, and ongoing projects such as the Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra, which is set to be among the world’s top ten ports.
“India’s coastlines will become gateways to the nation’s prosperity,” PM Modi declared, emphasizing that the government’s focus on indigenous production and maritime strength would accelerate the vision of a developed India by 2047.
The Prime Minister also urged citizens to support self-reliance in their daily lives. “Whatever you buy, it should be indigenous. Whatever you sell, it should be indigenous. Say with pride—this is Swadeshi,” he appealed.
Governor Acharya Devvrat, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, and Union Ministers were present at the event.