Sea change in India

摘要

Some things in the Indian Subcontinent have remained constant for years. Coexisting with its diverse mix of cultures and languages are overpopulation, uneven wealth distribution, and an underdeveloped road infrastructure. But for the shipping community in India, the last few years have seen many improvements. The double-digit cargo growth in exports from India to the US and Europe, as well as steadily increasing imports to India from Asia, have provided exciting opportunities for both global carriers and feeder operators. This is reflected in the growth and diversity of the ocean carriers' operations in the Indian market. In the last few months, new services have been launched, and existing strings restructured or expanded, with further changes planned for 2004 onwards. The impetus for the buoyant cargo growth has been the Indian Government's drive to modernise the country and develop its exports and imports. The current government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is continuing this drive, with India's full membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) imminent. The government has introduced a package of incentives to boost exports, currently growing at about 16% a year, and the aim is to increase India's share of world trade from its present 0.67% to 1% over the next few years.