NEW DELHI: India plans to add 100 vessels to its merchant fleet over the next five years. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said the government is seeking to increase Indian tonnage through measures including reflagging of foreign-owned vessels and support for shipbuilding.

This comes at a time when a large part of the existing fleet is already ageing. Data in the ‘Indian Shipping Statistics 2025’ report by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways show that nearly half of India’s registered vessels are . . .