India's Galathea Bay: A Strategic Hub Boosting Global Trade Power

Delhi 23 October  (VNI)The Indian government has officially notified Galathea Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a 'Major Port' under the Indian Ports Act, 1908. This decision is aimed at developing Galathea Bay into an International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP), which will serve as a hub where cargo is transferred from one vessel to another for further transportation to its final destination.

The port’s location on an international shipping route is expected to significantly boost India’s export-import trade. Currently, about 75% of India’s transshipped cargo is handled at foreign ports like Colombo, Singapore, and Klang. Developing Galathea Bay as a transshipment port within India will reduce the country's reliance on these foreign ports. It will also bring substantial economic benefits, such as foreign exchange savings, attracting foreign direct investment, and increasing economic activity at other Indian ports.

The strategic importance of Galathea Bay lies in its proximity to crucial maritime chokepoints like the Malacca Strait and the East-West shipping route, which connects Europe, Africa, and Asia. This makes it an ideal location to strengthen India’s presence in global trade routes.

India currently has 12 major ports and around 200 non-major ports. Major ports are governed by the Major Ports Authority Act, 2021, and fall under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, while non-major ports are regulated by state maritime boards under their respective state governments.

The development of Galathea Bay as a major port is a crucial step in reducing India’s dependence on foreign transshipment hubs and enhancing the country’s maritime infrastructure for both economic and strategic purposes.