The 14th edition of INMEX SMM India 2025 concluded in Mumbai with participation from 300 exhibiting brands and delegations from 24 countries. Held from 10–12 September at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, the event marked a 30% increase in exhibiting companies and a 15% rise in visitors compared to the previous edition, according to the organisers.
The exhibition focused on the theme “Building India’s Blue Economy: Shipbuilding & Repair as Growth Drivers.” Industry stakeholders, policymakers, and international representatives gathered to discuss India’s maritime future against the backdrop of a growing freight market. Valued at $34.9 billion in 2024, India’s maritime freight sector is projected to reach $50.7 billion by 2033.
Government officials, including the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Maharashtra’s Fisheries and Ports Development Minister Shri Nitesh Rane, highlighted India’s long-term shipbuilding ambitions. Rane noted that while Asia dominates global shipbuilding-accounting for more than 95% of capacity-India’s share remains below 1%. The government aims to place India among the world’s top 10 shipbuilding nations by 2030 and among the top five by 2047, guided by the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amritkal Vision 2047.
To support these goals, initiatives such as a $3 billion Maritime Development Fund and the Shipbuilding Finance Assistance Scheme have been announced. Alongside infrastructure, workforce development is also a priority: Indian seafarers currently represent 12% of the global maritime workforce, with plans to expand this to 25%.
International participation was a key feature of this year’s exhibition. European countries made their strongest showing yet, with Germany leading a delegation of 18 exhibitors supported by its Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy. The Netherlands participated for the first time with 10 exhibitors, while Greece contributed eight companies through its pavilion.
Commenting on the event, Ulas Boyaci, COO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, described INMEX SMM India as South Asia’s leading maritime trade platform. The exhibition is held biennially in alternation with SMM Hamburg, regarded as the world’s foremost maritime industry fair.
The Mumbai gathering underscored both the challenges and opportunities for India’s maritime sector. While the country has significant ground to cover in global shipbuilding, sustained government backing and growing international engagement suggest momentum toward its stated ambitions
