Thiruvananthapuram: On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Opposition INDIA bloc, asserting that the attendance of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor at the Vizhinjam port inauguration would cause concern for many. “I want to emphasize to Chief Minister Vijayan that you are a significant supporter of the INDIA alliance. With Shashi Tharoor present, this event will indeed trouble many,” PM Modi remarked.
However, there appeared to be a miscommunication regarding his statement, to which Modi responded, “The message has reached its intended destination.” The Vizhinjam seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, was officially inaugurated by PM Modi on Friday. Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), this ₹8,867 crore project is India’s first deep-water container transshipment port, aimed at enhancing the nation’s global shipping stature.
Constructed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the port functions on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis. With an annual capacity of up to 5 million TEUs, it has already managed approximately 250 container ships since commencing operations last July. PM Modi also noted India’s rising maritime capabilities, stating that the country ranks among the top three worldwide for seafarers.
He mentioned that over the last decade, India’s port capacity has doubled, operational efficiency has improved, and turnaround times have decreased by 30 percent. Regarding the Vizhinjam port, Modi indicated that it was built at a cost of ₹8,800 crore, with ambitions to significantly increase its transshipment hub capacity in the near future.
“It is designed to accommodate large cargo ships, addressing a critical need. Until now, 75 per cent of India’s transshipment activities were conducted at foreign ports, resulting in significant revenue losses for the country,” he added.
