You Excellency Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to India.
Your visit is a high point in our top-level political exchanges.
You come from a land that is very familiar to us.
From the Legend of Rama to the Wisdom of Buddha our ties are founded
on a shared cultural heritage. Our historical people-to-people ties
provide a strong basis to our partnership.
Thailand is a trusted and valued friend, and one of our closest partners in Southeast Asia.
Friends,
Today, Prime Minister and I reviewed the full range of our bilateral engagement:
From culture to commerce;
From closer contacts between our peoples to deeper connectivity; and From counter-terrorism to defence and security.
We are both aware that rapid spread of terrorism and radical ideology poses a common challenge to both our societies.
And, we also recognize that our close security partnership would help us to secure our peoples from these threats.
In our shared objective to combat these challenges, India is
particularly grateful to Thailand for its assistance and cooperation.
Beyond terrorism, we have agreed to further deepen our security
engagement in the fields of cyber security, narcotics, transnational
economic offenses and human trafficking.
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Friends,
The land frontiers of our two countries are not far apart.
And, we are also maritime neighbours.
So, Prime Minister and I have agreed to forge a closer partnership in the fields of defence and maritime cooperation.
A partnership to meet our bilateral interests ; and to respond to our shared regional goals.
And a partnership, which will be shaped by:
Sharing of expertise and experiences;
Greater staff exchanges and more exercises;
Cooperation on counter-piracy on seas;
Deeper engagement in naval patrolling; and Building linkages in the field of defence R&D and production.
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Friends,
Trade and commerce flows are an important lifeline of the interdependent world today.
Excellency and I agree that a more diversified commercial engagement
between us would not only benefit both our economies. It would also
enable greater regional economic prosperity.
In this context, we welcome the first meeting of the India-Thailand
Joint Business Forum to be held later today. We encourage them, and the
other business-sector stakeholders, to take lead in tapping the emerging
business opportunities in both our countries.
Alongside trade, there are also ample avenues for greater manufacturing and investment linkages.
We see a particular synergy between Thai strengths in infrastructure,
particularly tourism infrastructure, and India's priorities in this
field.
Information Technology, pharmaceuticals, auto-components, and machinery are some other areas of promising collaboration.
We also see early conclusion of a balanced Comprehensive Economic and Partnership Agreement as our shared priority.
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Friends,
Prime Minister and I are fully aware that smooth flow of goods,
services, capital and human resources between our economies needs a
strong network of air, land and sea links.
We have, therefore, prioritized completion of India-Myanmar-Thailand
Trilateral highway; and early signing of the Motor Vehicles Agreement
between our three countries.
Connectivity is also an area of priority for India’s development.
Improving access to Southeast Asia from our Northeastern States benefits both our peoples.
Friends,
Stronger connectivity is essential not just for expanding bilateral
trade ties. It also brings our people closer and facilitates enhanced
science, education, culture and tourism cooperation.
Next year, to commemorate the seventy years of establishment of our
diplomatic relations, we will celebrate Festival of India in Thailand,
and Festival of Thailand in India.
This year, India is also celebrating one hundred and twenty-fifth
birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of Indian
Constitution.
I am delighted that the Indian Constitution will soon be translated into Thai language.
I am also happy to announce that to welcome more tourists from
Thailand to India, and to help them enjoy their visits to Buddhist sites
in India, we will soon facilitate double entry e-tourist visas for
citizens of Thailand.
Excellency,
India has always deeply appreciated the warmth and affection of the Royal Family of Thailand for India.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has been a frequent and very welcome visitor to India.
We look forward to welcoming her in India again later this year.
We also look forward to the honour of receiving His Royal Highness
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in India at his earliest convenience.
In conclusion, let me say that the convergence of Thailand's 'Look
West', and India's 'Act East' policy lights the path to a bright future
of our partnership.
Excellency, let me once again welcome you and your delegation to India.
I am also grateful to you for the
gracious hospitality given to me and my delegation. On behalf of the
1.25 billion Indians, I extend warm greetings to the friendly people of
Iran. Through ages, the beauty and richness of the Persian heritage has
attracted the world to Iran. For me, visiting Iran, is indeed a great
privilege.
Excellency,
India and Iran are not new friends. Our
dosti is as old as history. Through centuries, our societies have stayed
connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and
culture and commerce. As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest
in each other’s growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows. We can
never forget that Iran was among the first countries to come forward in
support when earthquake struck my state, Gujarat, in 2001. Similarly,
India is proud to have stood with the people of Iran during your
difficult times. I compliment the leadership of Iran for their
far-sighted diplomacy.
Excellency,
We had last met in Ufa in 2015. Your
leadership and the clarity of your vision have deeply impressed me. In
our meeting today, we focused on the full range of our bilateral
engagement. We exchanged views on the emerging regional situation and
global issues of common concern. The agenda and scope of our partnership
is truly substantial. The outcomes and agreements signed today open a
new chapter in our strategic partnership. The welfare of our people is
guiding our broad based economic ties. Expanded trade ties, deeper
connectivity, including Railways partnerships in oil and gas sector
fertilizers education and cultural sphere are driving our overall
economic engagement. The bilateral agreement to develop the Chahbahar
port and related infrastructure, and availability of about US$ 500
million from India for this purpose, is an important milestone. This
major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed
to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today.
Friends,
Later today we are going to sign the
trilateral Transport and Transit Agreement with participation of Iran,
India and Afghanistan. It will be a historic occasion. It will open new
routes for India, Iran and Afghanistan to connect among themselves.
India and Iran also share a crucial stake in peace, stability and
prosperity of the region. We also have shared concerns at the spread of
forces of instability, radicalism and terror in our region. We have
agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating threats of
terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking and cyber crime. We have also
agreed to enhance interaction between our defence and security
institutions on regional and maritime security.
Friends,
The past history of our ties has been
rich. President Rouhani and I would leave no stone unturned to work for
its glorious future. Our friendship will be a factor of stability in our
region. Later today, I look forward to calling on His eminence the
Hon’ble Supreme Leader to advance our ties further.
Excellency Rouhani,
I look forward to welcoming you in India
to carry forward the agenda of our engagement Where we are now and
where we could be is most beautifully said in a couplet from Ghalib. Let
me end with it:
जनूनत गरबे नफ्से-खुद तमाम अस्त
ज़े-काशी पा-बे काशान नीम गाम अस्त
[Means: Once we make up our mind, the distance between Kaashi and Kaashan is only half a step]
I once again sincerely thank you, Excellency for inviting me to Iran.
His Excellency Mr. Kim Young-Suk, Minister of the Republic of Korea
Our Union Minister for Shipping, Mr. Nitin Gadkari
Other Dignitaries on the dais;
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I have great pleasure in being with you
and welcoming you at the Maritime India Summit. This is the first time
that a global event of such a large scale is being organised by India. I
extend a warm welcome to all the esteemed guests attending this event
in the maritime hub of India. I am sure, this event; together with the
seminars and exhibition, will showcase the emerging trends and
opportunities in the maritime sector.
We all know that oceans cover more than
seventy percent of the Earth's surface. We also know that oceans contain
ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water. Therefore, maritime
transport can be the most extensive mode of transport. It is also the
most eco-friendly mode of transport. However, there is one more aspect
to this fact. Which is that, oceans contain ninety nine percent of the
living space on the planet. This means that our lifestyle, transport
systems and trading behavior should not spoil the ecology of the oceans.
Also, maritime security, freedom of navigation and safety and security
of sea lanes is equally important.
The challenges of climate change have shown that even offshore human
behavior can change the ecology of glaciers and oceans. This is already
causing a lot of concern for island countries and coastal communities in
particular. I hope this summit will deliberate on these issues while
discussing economic issues related with oceans. The elimination of sea
piracy, which was a big threat to international shipping a few years
ago, is a good example of how joint efforts by maritime nations can
achieve outstanding results.
Friends! There is a reason why this important Summit has been organised
today, on the 14th of April 2016. Today is the 125th birth anniversary
of a great son of India who also lived and worked in Mumbai. I am
referring to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was the architect of our
Constitution. He is also the architect of the water and river navigation
policy in India. I offer my profound respects to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
on this auspicious day. I also wish and pray that his wisdom continues
to guide us in our efforts towards nation building.
Many of us may not know that Babasaheb
created two powerful institutions related to water, navigation and
power. They were: The Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation
Commission and The Central Technical Power Board. His observations while
setting up these two organizations is a testimony to his great
foresight.
I quote from his address on 3rd January, 1945:
“The objects which have led
to the setting up of two organizations are to advise on how the water
resources can be best utilized and how a project can be made to serve
purposes other than irrigation.”
Dr Ambedkar had emphasized the
importance of the new waterways policy in order to lay the foundation
for a regime of prosperity for the millions of poor of our country. I am
happy to state that we have embarked on the development of National
Waterways in keeping with Babasaheb’s vision and foresight. With a GDP
growth rate of more than seven percent, India is the fastest growing
major economy today. The IMF and the World Bank have indicated even
better prospects in the days to come. We are taking aggressive steps to
ensure that our process of growth is both fast as well as inclusive.
This summit is another step to realize Babasaheb’s dream of an
economically strong, socially empowered and technologically equipped
India.
I understand that more than 4500
dignitaries and delegates from around forty countries are participating
in this Summit. I am particularly happy that the Republic of Korea is
the Partner Country for this event. I thank the President of Korea and
also the senior Minister, Mr. Kim Young-Suk who is present here.
Friends! We Indians are inheritors of a
glorious maritime heritage. The world’s first dock was built at Lothal
in Gujarat around 2500 BC during the Harappan Civilisation. This dock
was equipped to berth and service ships. It was built after studying
tidal flows.
In addition to Lothal, there were also
some other Indian ports, which were major drivers of global maritime
trade two thousand years ago. These included:
Barygaza - which today is known as Bharuch in Gujarat;
Muziris which today is known as Kodungallur near Cochin in Kerala;
Korkai which is today’s Tuticorin;
Kaveripattinam which is in Nagapattanam District of Tamil Nadu;
andArikamedu which is in Ariyankuppam District of Puducherry
There are many references in ancient
Indian literature and in Greek and Roman works about the vibrant
maritime trade of India with Rome, Greece, Egypt and Arabia. Ancient and
medieval Indian traders maintained links with countries in Southeast
and East Asia, Africa, Arabia and Europe.
Friends! Since my government took over,
among other things, we have laid emphasis on building futuristic
infrastructure. This includes building next generation infrastructure in
many sectors. Port, Shipping and Maritime infrastructure is prominent
among them. It is my Government’s endeavour to revive and restore
India’s position of eminence in the global maritime sector.
Building upon our glorious maritime
tradition, we are working hard to achieve new heights in this area. In
the very early days of our Government, we announced the Sagarmala
programme. This is aimed at leveraging our long coastline and natural
maritime advantages. It also focuses on promoting port led development,
energizing the coastal economy and infrastructure development in these
areas. We particularly want to modernize our ports and integrate them
with Special Economic Zones, Port based Smart Cities, Industrial Parks,
Warehouses, Logistics Parks and Transport Corridors.
I must mention that our vast coastline
of 7500 kilometers offers a huge investment opportunity. Apart from the
length of the coastline, India's maritime potential also lies in its
strategic location on all major shipping highways. In addition, we have
an expansive and productive hinterland, through which flows a network of
mighty rivers. Our maritime agenda will complement this ambitious
infrastructure plan for the hinterland which is going on in parallel.
I call upon the global business
community to partner with us to give shape to our process of port led
development. I am sure, the long coastline of India along with diverse
coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an
engine of growth of India.
To enable the growth of the port and related sectors, we have carried out several reforms and taken a number of new initiatives.
Under our ‘Make in India’ approach, we have taken many steps to make India a global manufacturing hub;
Recently MOODY’s has appreciated the Make in India initiative;
We have done a lot of corrections on the front of Ease of doing business - we have jumped up 12 ranks in World Bank’s ranking;
A lot of simplification has happened in the processes for cross border trade;
We have greatly liberalized the licensing regimes; This also includes the defence sector and ship building therein;
We have taken almost sixty per cent of the defence items out of the licensing process
Most of the FDI sectors are now put on automatic approval route;
Shipyards are being given Infrastructure status; at par with the ports;
Rebate of service tax on coastal shipping has been increased to seventy per cent;
We have granted customs duty and central excise exemption on inputs used in ship building;
A scheme of financial assistance to promote ship building has been approved;
Customs and central excise duties have been exempted on bunker fuel for Indian flagged container ships;
Tax issues of sea farers have been resolved;
A new company by the name of Indian Port Rail Corporation, has been established to focus on the last mile connectivity to ports.
We have enacted a legislation for declaring one hundred and eleven waterways as National Waterways-1.
We have taken up skill development activities aggressively.
The results of our initial efforts are clearly visible:
FDI inflows have gone up by 44 per cent since this government took
over. In fact, the year 2015-16 has seen the highest ever FDI inflow
into India;
India’s highest ever quantity of cargo handled by major ports was in 2015;
The port efficiency parameters have shown very good improvement;
India’s fastest average turnaround time in ports was in 2015;
In the last two years, our Major Ports have added 165 million tonne capacity with record additions each year;
94 million tonne capacity was added by these ports in 2015-16 alone which is the highest ever;
The traffic in Major Ports has shown a healthy growth of more than four per cent in the last two years, despite global slowdown;
The performance of the Major Ports in the last two years has been remarkable;
Operating Profit margins which were declining, have increased;
In 2015-16 alone, the operating profit of the twelve Major Ports has increased by nearly 6.7 billion rupees;
During 2015-16, Kandla Port in Gujarat breached the one hundred
million traffic landmark and displayed twenty per cent improvement in
efficiency.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust registered a net profit of ten billion rupees helped by a twelve per cent increase in efficiency.
Our flagship companies like the Shipping Corporation, Dredging
Corporation and the Cochin Shipyard have registered higher profits as
compared to the previous year.
However, this is just the beginning. We
want to do more. We are enhancing our own capacities of execution and
implementation. The National Perspective Plan of the Sagarmala Programme
has been released today. During the last two years, major ports have
awarded 56 new Projects involving an investment of more than 250 billion
rupees. This will create an additional port capacity of 317 million
tonnes per annum. Our vision is to increase port capacity from 1400
million tonnes to 3000 million tonnes by 2025. We want to mobilize an
investment of one lakh crore, or one trillion rupees, in the Port Sector
to enable this growth. Five new ports are planned to meet the
increasing demand of the Exim trade which will rise in proportion with
the fast-growing Indian economy. New ports are also being developed by
several coastal States of India.
The multiple measures to promote Coastal
Shipping coupled with the anticipated rise in domestic production of
coal, is expected to enhance coastal transportation of coal by at least
four fold by 2025. We are engaging with our immediate and regional
neighbours to promote shipping and maritime security. Recently India has
signed a Coastal Shipping Agreement with Bangladesh which will be
mutually beneficial. India is also engaged in the development of
Chahbahar Port in Iran. A special purpose vehicle by the name India
Ports Global Limited has been established to take up Maritime Projects
overseas.
I am informed that the Ministry of
Shipping is showcasing about 250 projects with investment opportunity in
the Maritime Sector. These projects include various infrastructure
development opportunities in 12 Major Ports, projects in eight maritime
states and other agencies. Of these, over 100 projects have been
identified under the Sagarmala Programme. With more than 14,000
kilometers of navigable inland waterways in the country, there is
tremendous potential for development in this sector. My Government is
committed to integration in infrastructure. We are also committed to
creating an enabling environment for investors and to facilitate
investments with an open mind.
Friends! All this is being done to
benefit the common man. This is being done to provide employment to the
youth. This is particularly being done to empower coastal communities.
Approximately eighteen percent of India’s population lives in 72 coastal
districts. It comprises twelve percent of India’s landmass. Therefore,
there is a need for holistic and sustainable development of coastal
regions and communities. Development of coastal communities especially
fishermen requires an integrated approach. As part of the Sagarmala
programme, we will adopt a comprehensive approach with focus on capacity
building and training, upgrading of technology and for improving
physical and social infrastructure. This will be done in collaboration
with the coastal states.
These initiatives will create employment
opportunities of approximately ten million jobs over the next ten
years. This includes four million direct and six million indirect jobs.
To broaden livelihood opportunities further, we are planning to deploy
modern and sophisticated fishing vessels. This would enable them to
harness resources in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone. In addition, we
are also focusing on value addition in fisheries, aquaculture and cold
chain development.
The Port Sector in India is a good mix
of Private and Public Ports, with both contributing to the growth of the
sector. The PPP model of development has been quite successful in this
sector and has helped in bringing latest technology and best practices.
Private Ports have been growing at a very healthy pace and have nearly
doubled their capacity in the last 5 years. They handle around 45 per
cent of the total cargo. Most of these Ports are new, with modern
facilities and can match the best international Ports in terms of
performance and infrastructure.
Friends! India has had a glorious
maritime history. We are on the path of shaping an even better maritime
future. The maritime sector not only creates and facilitates economic
activities; it also connects countries and civilizations. Moreover, it
is the cleanest and cheapest carrier of global trade. Investing in
maritime sector is not only investing in one’s own future; but in the
future of the planet and that of coming generations. However, in this
sector, no country can achieve the desired results in isolation. Nations
have to collaborate to realize this potential and to overcome
challenges in this sector. The objective of this Summit is to provide a
platform and forum for such cooperation.
To conclude, I would like to say that:
This is the right time to come to India;
It is even better to come through the sea route;
The Indian ship is well equipped for a long haul;
Don’t miss it;
Missing it means missing a pleasant journey and a great destination.
Once you are here, I assure you that I will personally hold your hands
to see that your berthing is safe, secure and satisfactory.
