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Maritime Ship-Building Scheme Receives 12 Applications Seeking Incentives

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India's Ship-Building Financial Assistance (SBFA) Scheme — launched in September 2025 — has received 12 applications seeking incentives. Indian shipyards qualify for 15-25% financial support per vessel to bridge the cost gap with foreign rivals. The scheme is part of India's drive to build a competitive domestic ship-building industry and reduce dependence on foreign vessels.

Key Facts & Details

9 points
  • 1
    12 applications received under Ship-Building Financial Assistance Scheme
  • 2
    Indian bidders eligible for 15-25% financial support per vessel
  • 3
    Aim: bridge cost gap with foreign shipyards
  • 4
    Scheme launched in September 2025

Deep Dive

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    India has about 28 shipyards including Cochin Shipyard Limited, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Garden Reach Shipbuilders
  • +
    India's share in global shipbuilding is less than 1% (China ~50%, South Korea ~30%, Japan ~15%)
  • +
    Maritime India Vision 2030 targets share of top-10 shipbuilding nations
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    Sagarmala Programme (2015) is the flagship maritime programme
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    Major Ports of India: 12 (e.g. Mumbai, JNPT, Kolkata, Chennai, Visakhapatnam)
Q

Exam Focus

Likely MCQ: How many Major Ports does India have? → Answer: 12

Related Topics

ShipbuildingSagarmalaMajor Ports

Exam Relevance & Angle

Shipping, ports, Sagarmala and Maritime India Vision are repeat questions for SSC, Banking and UPSC.

Target Exams

SSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCSBI POIBPS POUPSC CSE

Background & Context

India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is headed by Sarbananda Sonowal. India has a coastline of 7,517 km and 12 Major Ports:
• West coast: Mumbai (JNPT), Mumbai Port, Mormugao, Cochin, New Mangalore, Kandla (Deendayal)
• East coast: Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V.O. Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata (Syama Prasad Mookerjee)

India's share in global shipbuilding is less than 1%, while China has ~50%, South Korea ~30% and Japan ~15%. To boost domestic shipbuilding, the government has launched:
Sagarmala Programme (2015) — port-led development
Maritime India Vision 2030
Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047
Ship-Building Financial Assistance Scheme (September 2025)

Key shipyards: Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders (GRSE), Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Hindustan Shipyard.

Related GK Concepts

Must Know
SagarmalaMaritime India VisionMajor PortsCochin ShipyardSarbananda SonowalShipbuilding

Test Yourself

1 / 3

How many Major Ports does India have?

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Maritime Ship-Building Scheme Receives 12 Applications Seeking Incentives — Current Affairs 2026-05-27