Andhra Pradesh set to get ₹30,000 crore shipbuilding cluster approvals this month, says Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Centre is likely to grant in-principle approvals this month for a ₹30,000-crore mega shipbuilding cluster in Andhra Pradesh, as part of efforts to expand the fleet of India-flagged vessels, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal told ET.

Sonowal said the proposed project is expected to boost India’s maritime capacity significantly and aligns with the government’s broader strategy to strengthen domestic shipbuilding capabilities.

The minister also said that long-pending inland waterways and port expansion projects in West Bengal are expected to gain momentum following the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state.

On global shipping disruptions, Sonowal noted that no Indian-flagged or Indian-linked vessels have been asked to pay tolls at the Strait of Hormuz. He described the ongoing West Asia crisis as “one of the most significant disruptions to global shipping,” adding that India has repatriated more than 3,000 seafarers since the escalation.

According to official data cited by the minister, shipping services to alternate ports in West Asia have been ramped up sharply, rising from 105 sailings in February to 232 in April to maintain connectivity amid route disruptions.