Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari Meets Over 100 Foreign Maritime Delegates; Assures Ease of Business in India
MUMBAI, 15 April 2016: Resonating the government’s resolve to become one of the top global maritime hubs, Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari on Friday met about 100 high-level foreign delegates from Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Sudan at the maiden Maritime India Summit, 2016 here.
The summit is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India with a view to unleash the potential of Indian Maritime Sector to the world. The summit showcased various thematic sessions based on the government’s ambitious ‘Sagarmala’ project for port-led development.
Shri Gadkari underlined various efforts that the government has undertaken to enhance bilateral economic cooperation in shipping, ports, railways, and trade & commerce.
Addressing the foreign delegates, Shri Gadkari said, “Maritime development is high on the priority list of our government as it has the potential of opening a new era of foreign investment in ship building, ship repair, ship breaking, inland water transportation, cruise shipping, and hinterland connectivity, to name a few.”
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr. Sindiswe Chikunga was accompanied by Mr. Mthunzi Madiya, acting CD—Maritime Infrastructure and industry development, Mr. Themba Nkontwana, Director-Multilateral Coordination, Mr. Collins Makhado, SAMSA Executive, Mr. Mahesh Fakir, ECO-Ports Regulator, Ms. Thato Tsaute, Managing Director-Maritime Cluster and Mr. Richard Vallihu, CEO-Transnet who met Shri Gadkari.
Similarly, Bangladesh Shipping Minister Mr. Shahjahan Khan, Chittagong Port Trust Chairman Admiral Khalid Iqbal, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation Chairman Mr. Habibur Rehman were among the delegates from in the bilateral meeting.
Representatives from Maldives comprised Economic Development Minister Mr. Mohamed Saeed, Maritime Director General Mr. Abdul Nasir and other officials.
Mauritius Minister of Ocean Economy (Marine Resource) Mr. P Koonjoo, Madagascar Minister of Tourism, Transports and Meteorology Mr. Addriantiana Ulrich and Sudan Minister of Transport, Roads and Bridges Mr. Makkawi Mohamed Awad Oshi were some of the prominent delegates who shared ideas with Shri Gadkari.
