The government is committed to ensuring the safety of every Indian seafarer and has repatriated 4,048 seafarers from the Gulf region following the West Asia crisis, Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday.
Addressing stakeholders at a discussion on the 'Seafarer Security, Safety and Welfare' here, Sonowal also expressed confidence that India would soon become the world's largest supplier of seafarers.
The discussion was part of an event to launch an integrated e-governance and digital maritime services platform E-Samudra, hosted by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA).
"Our main objective is to ensure the safety of each and every Indian seafarer deployed on ships globally. We have so far repatriated more than 4,048 seafarers. They have been brought back safely, and we have extended help to their families as well," the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways told the media.
According to the ministry, DGMA monitored more than 16,000 calls, handled over 40,000 communications, and coordinated the safe repatriation of more than 4,000 stranded Indian seafarers through joint efforts with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions, the Indian Navy, shipowners and other maritime stakeholders.
E-Samudra, which is likely to go live from August 15, is a comprehensive digital platform that integrates services for seafarers, shipping companies, ports and other maritime stakeholders.
The minister also announced a series of reforms to strengthen seafarer welfare, security and service delivery.
Sonowal said that the government's commitment is clear: every Indian seafarer must be safe, respected and supported, adding that "as India strengthens its position as a global maritime power, we must ensure that those who power this growth work fearlessly, safely and with dignity." The minister further said the country has emerged as the second-largest supplier of seafarers globally and expressed confidence that India would soon become the world's largest supplier.
Also, he said the country has become the world's leading ship recycling destination and is working towards positioning itself among the world's top five shipbuilding nations.
"E-Samudra is not merely a technology platform; it is a significant step towards making maritime governance simpler, more transparent and more stakeholder-centric. Technology is meaningful only when it improves the lives of people. Through E-Samudra, we are ensuring Ease of Living for our seafarers and Ease of Doing Business for the maritime sector," the minister said.
Vijay Kumar, Secretary in the Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the E-Samudra will bring maritime services into a single digital window with end-to-end workflows, online payments, real-time tracking and digitally issued certificates. "Our objective is not merely to put processes online, but to make them predictable, transparent and time-bound." India's active seafarer workforce has grown from about 1.03 lakh in 2013 to more than 3.23 lakh in 2025, underscoring the need to strengthen digital service delivery, regulation and welfare for the country's rapidly expanding maritime workforce, the secretary said.
Director General of Maritime Administration Shyam Jagannathan described E-Samudra as a transformational platform that shifts maritime administration from a physical office-based model to digital-first and faceless governance.
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