MSC may set up seafarer training facility in India, sees scope to absorb 10 lakh Indians

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has indicated plans to set up a training facility for seafarers in India and sees the potential to absorb as many as 10 lakh Indian seafarers, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said.Speaking at an event in Osaka, Japan, Goyal said Japanese companies could also explore training Indian seafarers as the two countries look to deepen cooperation in the maritime sector.The minister said Japan’s advanced shipbuilding industry faces high costs, while India’s large pool of skilled workers could offer opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.Also Read: India ready to send 3 lakh skilled workers to Japan, says Piyush GoyalIndia already has the world’s second-largest cohort of seafarers, numbering about 3.2 lakh, Goyal said.Beyond the maritime sector, Goyal said India is seeking strategic partnerships with Japan in areas including next-generation mobility, economic security, medical technology and agricultural technology. The Gujarat government is also expected to send a high-powered delegation to Japan to explore potential partnerships, he added.Goyal highlighted semiconductors as another major area for collaboration, saying India’s semiconductor consumption is expected to reach $150 billion in the coming years.He also pointed to India’s infrastructure push, saying the country has been spending about $130 billion annually on infrastructure over the past few years. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which uses Japan’s Shinkansen technology, is an example of the two countries’ growing infrastructure partnership, he said.Also Read: Japan’s ¥10 trillion investment in India may be completed in under 5 years: Piyush GoyalGoyal also cited the emergence of 250 million Indians from poverty over the past 12 years to highlight the country’s expanding consumer base, saying India’s middle class is now larger than Japan’s entire population.

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