India has emerged as the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing over three lakh 11 thousand maritime professionals to the global shipping industry. According to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, India now accounts for 12.16 per cent of the global seafaring workforce, behind only the Philippines.
Welcoming the report, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said India’s rise from the fifth-largest supplier in 2015 to the second position in 2026 reflects the transformative leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sustained reforms in the maritime sector. He said India’s share of the global seafaring workforce has more than doubled over the past decade, from 5.2 per cent in 2015 to 12.16 per cent in 2026.
The report also highlights India’s growing strength in the officer cadre, with Indian officers accounting for 13.41 per cent of the world’s officer workforce. Mr Sonowal said the Government is now pursuing the ambitious Mission 20 initiative to raise India’s share of the global seafaring workforce to 20 per cent by expanding maritime training capacity, strengthening industry partnerships and creating greater opportunities for youth, especially women. He added that the initiative aims to ensure that one in every five seafarers serving aboard merchant ships worldwide is an Indian.
