'Made in India' cruise ships soon? Nitin Gadkari's message for Cochin Shipyard

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday expressed confidence that cruise ships will soon be manufactured in India.

Speaking at the Green Bharat Summit in New Delhi, Gadkari said that he will ask the Cochin Shipyard to "make cruise ships in India."

The Union Minister also spoke extensively about the upscaling of waterways across the country.

The minister added the Centre has carried out expansion in Bangladesh as well.

“As part of inlands waterway expansion projects, the government has made inland waterways in Bangladesh as well,” the Minister said at the event.

Also Read: Nitin Gadkari: Transport industry behind 40% of air pollution, taking multiple steps to curb it

Earlier, the minister addressed the issue of growing pollution menace in India. According to the minister, around 40% of country’s pollution is caused by the transport industry. He also said that the Centre is looking at several measures to bring menace of pollution under control.

The ‘Make in India’ statement on cruise ship industry by Gadkari comes months after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a simpler taxation for the shipping companies operating in India. Most of such companies are operating by global players. In her Union Budget speech, Sitharaman had proposed simpler tax regimes and introduce new section 44BBC.

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In India, cruise tourism is still an unexplored, niche sector. At present, India represents just 1 percent of overall international cruising sector. None of the major international cruise industry has presence in India.