India emerges as world's second-largest supplier of seafarers
New Delhi, July 28
India has emerged as the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing as many as 311,936 maritime professionals to the global shipping industry, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
The report estimates that India now accounts for 12.16 per cent of the global seafaring workforce, ranking behind only the Philippines and ahead of China, the Russian Federation and Indonesia.
In 2015, India contributed only 5.2 per cent of the world's seafarers and ranked fifth globally, behind China, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Russian Federation. India's global share has more than doubled over the past decade.
India's strength is particularly evident in the officer cadre. The country now supplies 140,718 officers, accounting for 13.41 per cent of the world's officer workforce, while 171,218 ratings represent 11.29 per cent of the global ratings serving aboard merchant vessels. Overall, Indian seafarers today constitute one of the largest and most skilled maritime workforces supporting global trade.
The report estimates the global supply of seafarers at 2.57 million, while demand has reached 2.55 million, highlighting an increasingly tight global labour market. It also points to a continuing shortage of qualified officers worldwide, positioning India as a critical partner in meeting the shipping industry's future manpower requirements.
Welcoming the report, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "India's rise from the fifth-largest supplier of seafarers in 2015 with just 5.2 per cent of the global workforce to the world's second-largest maritime manpower nation with a 12.16% share in 2026 is a story of vision, resolve and transformative leadership. This remarkable turnaround has been made possible under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose unwavering commitment over the past 12 years has fundamentally reshaped India's maritime ecosystem."
From investing in world-class maritime education and modern training infrastructure to digitising seafarer services, reforming maritime laws and creating globally benchmarked standards, the Government has empowered thousands of young Indians to compete and excel on the world stage, he added.
The minister further stated that the Government is now pursuing Mission 20 per cent, an ambitious national vision to increase India's share of the global seafaring workforce from 12.16 per cent to 20 per cent.
"We are expanding maritime training capacity, strengthening shipboard training opportunities, fostering deeper industry-academia partnerships, leveraging digital technologies and creating greater opportunities for young Indians, especially women, to pursue rewarding careers at sea. Our vision is clear: to ensure that one in every five seafarers serving aboard merchant ships anywhere in the world is an Indian, recognised globally for professionalism, competence and excellence," Sonowal added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good news, but I hope we also focus on the welfare of our seafarers. Many face issues like long contracts, mental health struggles, and even wage disputes. Being second-largest supplier is great, but quality of life matters too. Still, happy to see India leading in yet another global sector.
This is huge. India now ahead of China and Russia in maritime manpower. Our officer cadre especially is recognized globally for professionalism. The govt's push for digitalization and training infrastructure is paying off. Would love to see more Indian women joining this field—great that the minister mentioned that too. 👏
One thing this article doesn't mention is the working conditions. Many Indian seafarers face exploitation by certain foreign shipping companies. Yes, we are supplying skilled manpower, but we need stronger enforcement of maritime labor laws and better grievance mechanisms. Numbers alone don't tell the full story.
As someone whose uncle is a chief engineer on a cargo ship, I can say this is well-deserved. Indian seafarers are known for their technical skills and discipline. The 20% target is bold—hope we also build more Indian shipping companies to provide direct employment rather than just supplying crew to other nations. 🚢
Fantastic achievement! The minister mentioned expanding opportunities for women—this is crucial. The maritime industry is still very male-dominated, and we need more female officers and engineers. Government should offer scholarships and mentorship programs to encourage young women to consider a career at sea. ⚓️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.