PM Modi commissions Vizhinjam International seaport

 

 

 

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi officially commissioned the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday, stating that the capacity of this transshipment hub would triple in the coming years, allowing some of the world’s largest cargo ships to dock smoothly. In his speech following the commissioning of the Rs 8,686 crore project, he noted that 75 per cent of India’s transshipment operations had previously been carried out at foreign ports, resulting in significant revenue loss for the country. Emphasising that this scenario is now set to change, Modi asserted that Indian money would now serve India, and the funds that once flowed out of the country would instead generate new economic opportunities for Kerala and the people of Vizhinjam.

 

He said ships from Kerala had long carried goods to other nations, establishing it as a vital hub for global commerce. “Today, the Government of India is committed to further strengthening this channel of economic power,” the Prime Minister said, adding: “India’s coastal states and port cities will become key centres for the growth of a developed India.” Praising the Vizhinjam port, developed by Adani Ports, Modi said people from Gujarat might be disappointed with Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani for building such a large port in Kerala, despite hailing from the western Indian state himself. Modi also noted that Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan had referred to the Adani Group as a “partner” of the Communist-led state government, describing this as symbolic of the changes taking place in the country.

 

Highlighting the importance of the private sector in advancing India’s maritime industry, Modi said that under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, investments worth thousands of crores had been made over the past decade. He stated that this collaboration had not only brought India’s ports up to international standards but had also made them future-ready, with private sector involvement driving innovation and increasing efficiency. The PM further emphasised that a port economy thrives when infrastructure and ease of doing business are promoted together. 

 

 

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took a swipe at the Opposition bloc INDIA and the Congress, saying the presence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Shashi Tharoor at the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Seaport here will give “sleepless nights” to many. Modi’s direct mention of Tharoor’s presence at the event comes at a time when the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram is being accused by his own party colleagues of going soft on the BJP after the Pahalgam terror attack. Tharoor has also been criticised by some Congress leaders for praising India’s deft diplomacy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict under Modi’s leadership. Congress state unit leaders have also objected to some of the comments made by Tharoor.