India to Form Consortium, Launch Bharat Shipping Line to Boost Trade Ties

24 Jan 2025 CW Team

India plans to establish a consortium involving equity participation by public sector enterprises to bid for operating overseas port asset. The stakeholders in this entity, tentatively named Bharat Global, will include the Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation, Sagarmala Development Company, and the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).

A senior official remarked, “The consortium will replicate the Chabahar port model in other strategic locations.” India also plans to operationalise Bharat Container Shipping Line as a vertical within SCI to mitigate global trade disruptions.

The move aligns with India’s strategy to strengthen maritime trade connectivity and expand its global port management footprint. This comes after a 10-year bilateral agreement to operate Chabahar port in Iran and India’s presence in Myanmar through Sittwe port under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project. Both projects are managed by India Ports Global, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Deendayal Port Authority.

“The proposed consortium will also serve as India’s strategic response to China’s Gwadar port under the Belt and Road Initiative,” an official stated. The initiative aligns with the planned India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, introduced during the 2023 G20 summit, which offers alternative routes to the Suez Canal.

India also aims to address trade disruptions caused by global container shortages during the pandemic. “SCI’s Bharat Container Shipping Line will ensure that future shortages don’t affect India’s trade interests,” an official explained. By operating along key export routes, the initiative will enhance SCI’s capabilities beyond coastal trade and boost India’s resilience in global shipping.

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