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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most. That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have...

Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most. That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have gone on the offensive with a series of agitations or protests, raising issues that directly affect the ordinary citizens. Though it has been a key constituent of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) since 2019, it clawed to retain its identity as a national party and an independent political force locking horns with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Raising a Storm In the past few months, either independently, with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or in alliance with MVA constituents like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress is raising a storm with major issues that rule headlines. These include soaring inflation, fuel price hikes and shortage of gas, petrol or diesel, water crises in many parts, farmers distress, examination paper leak controversies, etc. These are not only winning hearts but grabbing eyeballs in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, Nagpur and other regions with massive grassroots participation and public mobilisation – proving the party is reading the peoples’ pulse correctly – rather than confining itself to media or online crusades. Rahul’s Credit The transformation is largely credited to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, which the state chief Sapkal – who took charge in Feb. 2025 – taking it forward passionately to the rank and file, spread in the remotest corners of Maharashtra. “He took over the onerous responsibility when the party morale was at its lowest. He launched the ‘Sapkal Pattern’, focussing on energizing the crucial booth-level workers who have direct connect with the ordinary voters, reconnected with local-level issues to keep up the tempo between two elections,” said a Mumbai-based senior leader. On his part, Sapkal has repeatedly given booster doses to the workers, saying the Congress has been a ‘fighter party’ and never shies from taking up issues concerning the common masses. Opposition Space Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party is implementing the wishes of Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership, handling key states personally and the “changes are visible”. “We shall not allow BJP to get a walkover in anything through its bulldozer tactics. We are with the people of the country and raise their concerns through campaigns and agitations. We will safeguard the Opposition space which is being blatantly encroached upon by the ruling party at all levels,” said a determined Londhe. A Mumbai frontal organisation vice-president said since long, the grassroots cadres of the Congress felt ignored as burning problems of the ordinary masses were not effectively highlighted by the party which seemed to wake up only when the poll bugles were sounded. “Not anymore… We are present everywhere. The people are suffering because of the BJP’s policies. The youth are frustrated as the government doesn’t listen to them and instead labels them as parasites or cockroaches,” said the leader, preferring anonymity. Vocal, visible streetfighter The Congress recently carried out a series of aggressive people-oriented protests - roadblocks against fuel price hikes, bicycle and motorcycle rallies organised by the Youth Congress, demonstrations highlighting inflation, protests over onion prices and farmers woes, ‘handa morcha’ against water scarcity in Mumbai, agitations over examination paper leaks and other irregularities. Positioning itself as the prominent voice of public discontent, the Congress campaigns spanned the state, involving all classes and communities while identifying with the voters who are desperately struggling for survival. While MVA allies also challenge the government, many say the Congress is seen as leading from the front to gradually emerge as the Opposition’s most visible and vocal street-fighting force, setting the agenda for other parties to become an election-ready entity by 2029.

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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