India and Japan have discussed expanding maritime cooperation across shipbuilding, port development, and maritime training during a bilateral meeting between Indian Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Japan’s Vice Minister for International Affairs Terada Yoshimichi. The meeting, held in Oslo, Norway, also covered potential investments by Japanese shipyards, employment of Indian seafarers, and collaboration in green port initiatives.
Talks included the possibility of Japanese shipbuilders such as Imabari Shipbuilding, JMUC, Kanagawa Dockyard, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries exploring partnerships with Indian shipyards. Greenfield investments like Imabari Shipbuilding’s proposed facility in Andhra Pradesh were also discussed. Both sides considered co-developing ports and maritime industrial clusters focused on clean energy.
India expressed interest in enhancing seafarer training, with Sonowal noting that “India currently has over 154,000 trained seafarers which is capable of support and supplement Japan’s maritime workforce.” He added, “India is ready and keen to facilitate Japanese maritime player’s interest in training Indian engineers and workers through structured programmes.”
Sustainable technologies, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and enhanced connectivity were among the areas of collaboration discussed for transforming the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands into Smart Islands. “Japan’s expertise in this area is highly valued. We see scope for joint work…particularly in deploying renewable energy, smart mobility systems, and digital infrastructure,” said Sonowal.
Both sides agreed to explore a Memorandum of Understanding involving Cochin Shipyard Limited, Indian universities, and public agencies for future maritime collaboration. Japan’s Vice Minister Terada said the country is “very interested in maritime sector” and noted positive discussions on shipbuilding and seafarer training.
India also proposed Japan’s partnership in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Museum at Lothal in Gujarat. The museum is expected to serve as a centre for heritage tourism, education, and research in the maritime sector.
An invitation was extended to Vice Minister Terada to participate in India Maritime Week, scheduled from 27–31 October 2025 in Mumbai. The event is expected to bring together international maritime stakeholders to discuss investment and cooperation opportunities.
India aims to facilitate five trillion yen (approx. INR 3.2 trillion) in investments from Japan by 2027, according to Sonowal.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a government-owned shipbuilding company under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, plays a key role in India’s maritime development strategy. It is involved in building, repairing, and maintaining a range of vessels and also contributes to defence shipbuilding projects.