SPEECHES / STATEMENTS 

PM dedicates Pipavav Shipyard to the Nation

June 1, 2010, New Delhi

“I am very pleased to participate in this function which marks the dedication of the Pipavav Shipyard to our nation. Some 50 years ago when I was a student at the University of Cambridge I had a very famous teacher Lord Nicolas Kaldor and he often used to say that there is no technical necessity for any social and economic system to do better than another. It all depends upon the character, the mindset and motivation of people who make all the ruling decisions of a nation’s life. And what I have been told by Shri Nikhil Gandhi, I am truly impressed by the commitment to innovation, farsighted vision, commitment to do things the best possible way, commitment to get away from the chalta hai tradition which has often I think held our country back. So with these words I once again congratulate Shri Nikhil Gandhi and the management of Pipavav Shipyard for a massive contribution to nation building activities of our country.

I have often said India is destined to be a major trading nation of the world and if India is destined to be a major trading nation of the world, I think shipping, ship building and management of our ports assume great importance in our scheme of development planning. Therefore I am very happy to learn about the activities of the Pipavav Shipyard and I once again compliment and congratulate all those who are associated with this highly enterprising, innovative shipyard. I understand that the Pipavav Shipyard, which has been set up on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, is one of the most modern shipyards in India and I note the commitment of the management to provide our country with the best available shipyards anywhere in the world and I compliment you for this commitment. This shipyard has been developed to have one of the largest dry dock and wet dock facilities in the world, with the state-of-the-art technology which can be used for construction of vessels relating to oil, gas and defence sectors. I hope this modern facility will set new benchmarks in quality and efficiency for our country.

India is known to have a long coastline and is known also for its maritime heritage. Even today, around 95% of our foreign trade is sea borne. The development of maritime infrastructure – ports, shipbuilding, and shipping, including inland water transport, is therefore of critical importance to the progress of our economy. This sector also provides substantial employment in the organized sector, and acts as catalyst for rapid development of the hinterland as well.

Our Government has taken many steps to develop this sector and Mr Vasan has summed them up admirably. The National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP) envisages investment of more than Rs. 1 lakh crore. We have recently set up the Indian Maritime University. We have also welcomed private sector participation in major ports, to access much needed funds and technical and managerial expertise. I hope the framework that has been developed will hasten the construction of new ports, and will also improve the maintenance of existing ports and harbours. In addition measures are being undertaken to reduce connectivity constraints being faced by our ports.

The Shipbuilding industry can have a multiplier effect on economic output and also in terms of its contribution to the generation of employment. The Government of India has therefore been supporting the setting up of shipyards. I understand the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council is working with the Ministry of Shipping to explore fresh ways to enable faster growth of this dynamic sector. In addition, we intend to take measures to greatly expand inland water transport.

I once again congratulate the management and staff of the Pipavav Shipyard as I dedicate it to our nation. I wish the Shipyard all success for the future. You have done exceedingly well. The nation is proud of your commitment to enterprise and I venture to suggest that the best is yet to come. With these words, I once again congratulate the management and the staff.”