India has a large scope for innovation in science and technology to address the futuristic challenges in maritime industry while providing much-needed maritime defence capabilities, V. Bhujanga Rao, ISRO Chair Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, and former Director-General, Naval Systems and Minerals, said on Friday.
Speaking at the valedictory of the two-day national seminar on “India’s Maritime Infrastructure: Challenges and Prospects”, Dr. Rao said that India had a huge potential of maritime resources that was waiting to be exploited.
He stressed the need for prioritising the maritime resources such as energy infrastructure and offshore reforms, to meet the country’s growing requirements in the near future. In India, the ocean technology was largely driven by a strong demand for growth of offshore oil and gas exploration, defence and maritime security related activities.
Udai Rao, former Principal Director, Naval Intelligence, New Delhi, stressed the need for a multidisciplinary body for the maritime infrastructure that can advise the Government on the way ahead. Though the Government had come out with Sagarmala project, the roadmap, time schedules and funding are not clear.
Though shipbuilding is a strategic industry, India has not properly nurtured it. Countries such as China and South Korea have created a shipbuilding industry which produced quality products at competitive prices. The country should own and control as much of its shipping as possible so that it could ensure adequate energy strategic reserves, he said.
A. Subramanyam Raju, Coordinator, UGC Centre for Maritime Studies, participated.
Anisa Basheer Khan, Vice-Chancellor-in-charge of Pondicherry University, delivered the presidential address at the inaugural session of the national seminar on Thursday.
Piyush Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, highlighted the role of academic and research institutions and various regional institutions such as Indian Ocean RIM in maritime infrastructure development.
Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai NM, Chief Instructor (Navy), Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, spoke about various maritime projects and India’s relations with China.
