Lok Sabha Question No. 2417 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: International Maritime Organisation Council
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Dr. C M Ramesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2417

ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026

## INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION COUNCIL

2417. DR. C M RAMESH:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- (a)  whether  it  is  true  that  India  has  been  re-elected  to  the  International  Maritime Organisation Council; (b) if so, the details of the advantages of being elected to the above forum and the extent to which this position is likely to be helpful to India's global maritime sector; and (c) the details of plans that the Government chalked out to invest US$ 1 Trillion in the

coming years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) Yes,  India  has  been  re-elected  to  the  International  Maritime  Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026-27 biennium in Category B, securing 154 out of 169 votes (highest in the category) during the elections held on 28 November 2025 at the 34th Session  of  the  IMO  Assembly.  Category  B  represents  countries  with  the  largest interest in international seaborne trade.

- (b) India has been a longstanding member of the IMO Council under Category B since  its  inception.  IMO  develops  international  regulations  for  maritime  safety  and environmental  protection,  formulates  international  treaties  and  conventions  like SOLAS and MARPOL, monitors compliance and implementation of conventions and provides technical assistance and training to developing countries. Being a member of  the  IMO  Council  ensures  that  India's  stance  is  clearly  heard  when  international conventions regarding safety, sustainability and other pertinent issues are discussed in  IMO.  India's  sustained  leadership  and  constructive  engagement  at  IMO  directly support  its  ambition  to  emerge  as  a  leading  global  maritime  power,  benefiting shipping, ports, shipbuilding, maritime services, and seafarers alike.
- (c) The  Union  Cabinet,  in  its  meeting  held  on  24.09.2025,  approved  two schemes  i.e.  Shipbuilding  Financial  Assistance  Scheme  (SBFAS)   to  promote

shipbuilding in India and Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) for Capacity & Capability development and credit risk coverage for shipbuilding in India.

The  Shipbuilding  Financial  Assistance  Scheme  (SBFAS),  with  a  corpus  of ₹24,736  crore,  will  provide  financial  support  of  15-25%  per  vessel  and  introduce shipbreaking  credit  note  that  will  provide  shipowners  with  40%  of  the  vessel's  fair scrap  value  as  an  incentive  for  recycling  and  supporting  new  builds  in  India.  The scheme  also  aims  to  establish  the  National  Shipbuilding Mission  to  oversee implementation  and  coordination,  supporting  ₹96,000  crore  worth  of  shipbuilding over the next decade.

Shipbuilding  Development  Scheme (SbDS), with  a corpus  of  ₹19,989  crore  is designed  to  accelerate  India's  shipbuilding  capacity  through  targeted  interventions for  new  infrastructure,  modernization  of  existing  facilities,  and  risk  mitigation.  The Key Components of SbDS are as follows:

-  Capital  Support  for  Greenfield  Clusters:  ₹9,930  crore  is  allocated  to  create multiple  shipbuilding  clusters  equipped  with  common  maritime  infrastructure such  as  breakwaters,  channel  and  basin  development,  land  reclamation, internal connectivity, and regional capability development centers.
-  Capital  Assistance  for  Brownfield  Expansion:  ₹8,261  crore  is  allocated  to assist existing shipyards in expanding production capacity.
-  Shipbuilding  Risk  Coverage:  ₹1,443  crore  is  proposed  for  risk  coverage through insurance instruments such as Pre-Shipment Insurance, PostShipment  Insurance,  and  Vendor  Default  Insurance.  This  measure  aims  to safeguard shipyards  against  financial  uncertainties  and  enhance  confidence in long-term investments.

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