CHARTING THE COURSE

The second edition of THE WEEK Maritime Conclave, with a special focus on shipbuilding, had industry leaders, policymakers, stakeholders and innovators discussing solutions and opportunities for the sector

- BY NIRMAL JOVIAL

Shipbuilding is not merely an economic activity—it plays a crucial role in sustaining global trade and safeguarding national defence.

Over 2,300 years ago, Kautilya’s Arthashastra—one of the greatest treatises on statecraft—underscored this very idea, devoting an entire chapter to the state’s role in promoting shipbuilding.

Tamil Sangam Literature— written between 300 BCE and 300 CE—underlined the skilled shipwrights and the construction of ships designed for both coastal and oceanic voyages, and documented the expertise India had in advanced shipbuilding techniques tailored for international commerce.

In the Middle Ages, travellers like Marco Polo and Niccolo de Conti praised the prowess of Indian shipbuilding.

However, by the early 19th century, British colonial policies, coupled with the denial of advanced technology during the Industrial Revolution, led to the decline of India's commercial shipbuilding capabilities, and independent India inherited a weakened maritime sector. And, for many decades, defence shipbuilding remained the priority, and Indian shipyards focused heavily on naval contracts.

Now, India is trying to reclaim its rightful place in commercial shipbuilding—a sector that will play a crucial role in realising the country's Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. Recognising the urgency of fostering a positive discourse around shipbuilding and creating fertile ground for the dialectics of disruptive ideas from experts across the maritime sector, THE WEEK organised the second edition of its Maritime Conclave on the theme 'Riding the Waves: Unlocking India's Maritime Potential,' on September 15 and 16 at the Crowne Plaza, Kochi.