Marking a significant milestone in India’s maritime and manufacturing sectors, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the first India-made export-import (EXIM) shipping container for the global shipping company AP Moller-Maersk on Friday.
The container was dispatched from the Maersk-CONCOR Inland Container Depot in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. He stated that this achievement is a crucial step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visions of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India), ‘Make in India’, and the ‘Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision-2047’.
Maersk Places Order for 1,000 Additional Containers
Expressing confidence in India’s growing container manufacturing ecosystem, Maersk also placed an order with the DCM Shriram Group for 1,000 additional India-made shipping containers. This is viewed as the beginning of a long-term business partnership expected to further strengthen India’s position in the global maritime supply chain.
Outcome of PM Modi’s Initiative
This achievement follows a meeting held in February 2025 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Robert Mærsk Uggla, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AP Moller-Maersk. During the meeting, the Prime Minister had encouraged the company to develop world-class container manufacturing capabilities in India. The commencement of international procurement of the first India-made EXIM shipping container within just 16 months demonstrates the government’s capacity for rapid implementation.
India Building a World-Class Maritime Manufacturing Ecosystem
Sarbananda Sonowal stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is rapidly emerging as a reliable global manufacturing and maritime power. He said, “We are not merely manufacturing shipping containers; we are building a globally competitive maritime manufacturing ecosystem for a developed India.”
He added that the first India-made container has been crafted in compliance with international quality and safety standards, ISO specifications, and international agreements regarding safe containers, making it fully suitable for global use. ₹10,000 Crore Incentive Scheme to Provide a Boost
Sonowal stated that the Modi government has announced a ₹10,000 crore incentive scheme for container manufacturing in the Union Budget 2026. The scheme aims to reduce reliance on imported containers, boost domestic manufacturing, and develop a globally competitive production system. Under this initiative, incentives will be provided to greenfield and brownfield plants for capital support, operational assistance, research, testing, skill development, and capacity building.
Target to Increase Annual Production Capacity Tenfold
He mentioned that the container manufacturing promotion scheme targets a tenfold increase in India’s annual container manufacturing capacity, aiming to reach 7.5 lakh TEUs. This will generate new employment opportunities, foster technology transfer, and strengthen the country’s supply chain. The government’s objective is to make India self-reliant in container manufacturing while establishing it as a global export hub for high-quality containers.
Government Focus on Major Reforms in the Maritime Sector
Sonowal noted that the government has enacted key legislations—such as the Merchant Shipping Act-2025, Coastal Shipping Act-2025, and Indian Ports Act-2025—to enhance the ease of doing business. Additionally, digital initiatives like the ₹70,000 crore shipbuilding financial assistance scheme, ‘One Nation-One Port Process’, Maritime Single Window, and e-Samudra have been launched. He highlighted that India is emerging as a leader in the ship recycling sector. Furthermore, three Indian ports have secured spots in the global top-30 list of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025. Rapid progress is also being made on major projects such as the Vadhavan Port, International Container Transshipment Port, Tuna Tekra Container Terminal, and Outer Harbour Container Terminal.
