India and Denmark are set to expand maritime cooperation beyond green shipping into commercial and naval shipbuilding, port development and maritime technologies, as New Delhi seeks to build domestic capacity and reduce dependence on foreign fleets and technology.

The two countries are working on a feasibility study to identify opportunities in naval and commercial shipbuilding, followed by a targeted programme to deepen Danish companies' presence in the Indian market, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Denmark’s ambassador to India, said in a media interaction.

Denmark also plans to facilitate a delegation of leading Danish defence companies to India to explore potential cooperation with Indian naval stakeholders, he added.

The Indian government has increasingly focused on domestic shipbuilding, local value addition and creating a globally competitive maritime ecosystem. About 95% of India’s trade by volume moves by sea, while the government has targeted $139 billion of investment under Sagarmala 2.0 to expand and modernise the maritime sector.

Building on partnership
The cooperation builds on the Green Strategic Partnership signed in 2020 and comes as India seeks to scale up shipbuilding output 40-fold by 2047, from just over 1,00,000 gross tonne (GT) to about 4.5 million GT under its Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Danish companies, which already have a sizeable footprint in India’s shipping and maritime industries, have expertise in energy efficiency, electrical systems, pumps, drives, marine coatings, digital systems and other technologies that can be deployed on both commercial and naval vessels, said Mathias Emil Bengtsson, first secretary, trade policy and economic affairs, Royal Danish Embassy.

Danish shipping major Maersk handles about a fifth of India’s containerised trade and operates major port facilities, while the company has announced a further $5 billion investment commitment.

Some Danish shipping companies are also having vessels built at Indian shipyards, including Maersk subsidiary Svitzer. Danish technology companies including Hempel, DESMI, Danfoss, Terma and Everllence have a presence in India and could support the development of a domestic shipbuilding ecosystem, said Josefine Pallesen, maritime counsellor at the Danish embassy.

Opportunity in tech
For Denmark, the opportunity lies in supplying technology, high-value components and specialised maritime solutions rather than merely exporting ships, she said.

The shipbuilding plans of India may also get supported by Danish companies who already have tie-ups with Korean shipbuilders such as HD Hyundai, which is looking at setting up country’s first greenfield shipbuilding facility in the cluster identified in Tamil Nadu.

The Indo-Danish partnership was strengthened in 2025 with the establishment of the Indo-Danish Centre of Excellence on Green Shipping in India. The centre is intended to serve as a platform for capacity building, technical cooperation and regulatory development across the maritime sector.

While green shipping remains a major pillar, the scope of cooperation is considerably broader. The two countries are working on alternative marine fuels, green shipping corridors, energy efficiency, digitalisation, port optimisation, maritime safety, seafarer training, ship recycling and regulatory standards, Kristensen said.

Source: Live Mint 

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