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Maritime India: 95% of trade by volume goes by sea

1 min readOceanographyTransport & Logistics
Battle IAS current affairs title card: Maritime India: 95% of trade by volume goes by sea (GS3 · Ports, 26 October 2025)

What happened

  • About 95% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value moves by sea [PIB].
  • Maritime India Vision 2030 has 150+ initiatives; a ₹69,725 crore shipbuilding package backs it. Major ports handled about 855 million tonnes in 2024-25 [PIB].

Background

  • The vision projects ₹3-3.5 lakh crore investment [PIB].

Why it matters

  • Shipbuilding is where India lags; most cargo moves on foreign ships.

How to use this in Mains

GS-III Infrastructure: energy, ports, roads, airports, railways; investment models

  1. As per PIB (2025-10-26): about 95% of India's trade by volume and 70% by value moves by sea.
  2. Shipbuilding is where India lags; most cargo moves on foreign ships.
Quotable data point

Maritime India Vision 2030 has 150+ initiatives; a ₹69,725 crore shipbuilding package backs it. Major ports handled about 855 million tonnes in 2024-25.

PIB: PIB Backgrounder: Maritime India, 26 Oct 2025

Exam angle

UPSC

Prelims: MIV 2030.

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

Share of trade by volume via sea

Answer (c) & explanation

PIB.

Practice · UPSC

Shipbuilding package

Answer (b) & explanation

PIB.

Practice · UPSC

Major port cargo FY25

Answer (b) & explanation

PIB.

Go deeper

ExplainerOcean Currents: Causes, Warm and Cold Currents of Each Ocean, Gyres, Thermohaline Circulation and Effects on Climate (UPSC Notes + PYQs)ExplainerInfrastructure in India: Importance, Financing, PPP Models, National Infrastructure Pipeline and PM Gati Shakti (UPSC Notes + PYQs)

Official source: PIB: PIB Backgrounder: Maritime India, 26 Oct 2025

facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending