Sonowal to Lead Maritime Delegation to Europe

02 Jun 2025 CW Team

During the trip, the Minister will address the High-Level Meeting on Oceans at the 60th Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, inaugurate the first-ever India Pavilion, chair the ‘India @ Nor-Shipping’ Country Session, and promote the upcoming India Maritime Week 2025, scheduled for 27–31 October in Mumbai. He will also meet his counterparts from Norway and Japan and hold discussions with key European shipping companies, component manufacturers, and technology developers.

The India Pavilion will feature a section dedicated to the National Maritime Heritage Complex, showcasing India’s 5,000-year-old maritime history and global trade links. Sonowal will also visit the Oslo Port Authority to deepen bilateral engagement on port-led development.

In Denmark, the Minister will deliver a talk at Copenhagen Business School’s Blue MBA programme, focusing on India’s economic potential and its implications for future global business leaders. Additionally, he will pay tribute at Minnehallen, the memorial honouring fallen Indian sailors of World War II.

Highlighting the broader significance of the visit, Sonowal stated, “India’s maritime sector is central to economic growth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we aim to position India as a key global maritime nation. As we progress towards the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, unlocking the Blue Economy’s potential is critical.”

He added that engagements with Norway and Denmark, both global maritime leaders, will help foster sustainable partnerships, share best practices, and strengthen India’s drive for a greener and resilient maritime future.

Sonowal will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, and maritime boards from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, along with major Indian shipyards and MSMEs.

Image source:maritimegateway

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, will undertake a five-day official visit to Norway and Denmark starting 2 June. The visit is of strategic significance as Sonowal will lead a high-level Indian delegation comprising central and state government officials, as well as major private sector stakeholders.During the trip, the Minister will address the High-Level Meeting on Oceans at the 60th Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, inaugurate the first-ever India Pavilion, chair the ‘India @ Nor-Shipping’ Country Session, and promote the upcoming India Maritime Week 2025, scheduled for 27–31 October in Mumbai. He will also meet his counterparts from Norway and Japan and hold discussions with key European shipping companies, component manufacturers, and technology developers.The India Pavilion will feature a section dedicated to the National Maritime Heritage Complex, showcasing India’s 5,000-year-old maritime history and global trade links. Sonowal will also visit the Oslo Port Authority to deepen bilateral engagement on port-led development.In Denmark, the Minister will deliver a talk at Copenhagen Business School’s Blue MBA programme, focusing on India’s economic potential and its implications for future global business leaders. Additionally, he will pay tribute at Minnehallen, the memorial honouring fallen Indian sailors of World War II.Highlighting the broader significance of the visit, Sonowal stated, “India’s maritime sector is central to economic growth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we aim to position India as a key global maritime nation. As we progress towards the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, unlocking the Blue Economy’s potential is critical.”He added that engagements with Norway and Denmark, both global maritime leaders, will help foster sustainable partnerships, share best practices, and strengthen India’s drive for a greener and resilient maritime future.Sonowal will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, and maritime boards from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, along with major Indian shipyards and MSMEs.Image source:maritimegateway

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Dhalbhumgarh Airport Faces 150-km Rule Hurdle

The issue has resurfaced following a recent statement by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, who said that under existing aviation policy, a new greenfield airport is generally not permitted within an aerial distance of 150 kilometres of an operational civilian airport. He added, however, that if a formal proposal is submitted, its impact on the existing airport can be examined and relaxations may be considered on a case-by-case basis. While the clarification has revived some hope for Dhalbhumgarh, it has also underlined the scale of the technical challenge facing the project. Unde..

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Stakeholders Seek Parallel Ops For Vizag Airports

With road and metro rail links to Bhogapuram still several years away, stakeholders in north Andhra Pradesh have renewed demands to continue civil operations at INS Dega even after the commissioning of Bhogapuram International Airport. The new airport is expected to begin commercial operations from June. Officials said close to 80 per cent of the airport infrastructure at Bhogapuram, including the terminal building and internal approach roads, has already been completed. However, inadequate external connectivity remains a key concern. Making a case for parallel operations, Andhra Pradesh Air ..

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Govt To Roll Out V2V Tech To Cut Road Crashes

In an effort to curb road accidents, particularly in low-visibility conditions such as dense fog, the government is set to roll out vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology that will allow cars to exchange real-time data and alert drivers to potential dangers. The announcement was made by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari after the 43rd meeting of the Transport Development Council. The technology involves installing an on-board unit (OBU) in vehicles, enabling wireless data exchange between nearby cars. This will allow vehicles to share information such as spee..