Parliament Question: International Maritime Organisation Council

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2417 ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION COUNCIL

2417. DR. C M RAMESH:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी

(a) whether it is true that India has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organisation Council;

(b) if so, the details of the advantages of being elected to the above forum and the extent to which this position is likely to be helpful to India’s global maritime sector; and

(c) the details of plans that the Government chalked out to invest US$ 1 Trillion in the coming years? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) Yes, India has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organization

(IMO) Council for the 2026-27 biennium in Category B, securing 154 out of 169 votes (highest in the category) during the elections held on 28 November 2025 at the 34th Session of the IMO Assembly. Category B represents countries with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.

(b) India has been a longstanding member of the IMO Council under Category B since its inception. IMO develops international regulations for maritime safety and environmental protection, formulates international treaties and conventions like SOLAS and MARPOL, monitors compliance and implementation of conventions and provides technical assistance and training to developing countries. Being a member of the IMO Council ensures that India's stance is clearly heard when international conventions regarding safety, sustainability and other pertinent issues are discussed in IMO. India’s sustained leadership and constructive engagement at IMO directly support its ambition to emerge as a leading global maritime power, benefiting shipping, ports, shipbuilding, maritime services, and seafarers alike.

(c) The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on 24.09.2025, approved two schemes i.e. Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) to promoteshipbuilding in India and Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) for Capacity & Capability development and credit risk coverage for shipbuilding in India.

The Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS), with a corpus of ₹24,736 crore, will provide financial support of 15–25% per vessel and introduce shipbreaking credit note that will provide shipowners with 40% of the vessel’s fair scrap value as an incentive for recycling and supporting new builds in India. The scheme also aims to establish the National Shipbuilding Mission to oversee implementation and coordination, supporting ₹96,000 crore worth of shipbuilding over the next decade.

Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS), with a corpus of ₹19,989 crore is designed to accelerate India’s shipbuilding capacity through targeted interventions for new infrastructure, modernization of existing facilities, and risk mitigation. The

Key Components of SbDS are as follows:  Capital Support for Greenfield Clusters: ₹9,930 crore is allocated to create multiple shipbuilding clusters equipped with common maritime infrastructure such as breakwaters, channel and basin development, land reclamation, internal connectivity, and regional capability development centers.

 Capital Assistance for Brownfield Expansion: ₹8,261 crore is allocated to assist existing shipyards in expanding production capacity.  Shipbuilding Risk Coverage: ₹1,443 crore is proposed for risk coverage through insurance instruments such as Pre-Shipment Insurance, Post- Shipment Insurance, and Vendor Default Insurance. This measure aims to safeguard shipyards against financial uncertainties and enhance confidence in long-term investments.

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