PM Modi inaugurates ₹8,867 crore Vizhinjam Port

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram and took a sharp swipe at the Opposition INDIA bloc during his address. Referring to the presence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at the event, Modi said it would give “sleepless nights to many”, implying discomfort within the opposition alliance over the joint appearance.

As the crowd responded with laughter, a moment of translation confusion prompted Modi to quip, “Message chala gaya jahan jana tha” — meaning, the message reached where it was intended. The remark added a political undercurrent to what was otherwise a major infrastructure milestone for the country.

The Vizhinjam port, developed by Adani Ports under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), is India’s first deep-water container transshipment hub. Built at a cost of ₹8,867 crore, it has been operational since July last year and has handled nearly 250 container ships so far. The port is designed to handle up to 5 million TEUs annually and aims to reduce India's dependency on foreign transshipment ports.

PM Modi underscored the strategic importance of the project, saying that large cargo vessels will now be able to dock directly in India, preventing the outflow of shipping revenue. He also pointed out that 75% of India's transshipment activity previously occurred outside the country. He noted India’s maritime rise, adding that the country is now among the top three globally in terms of seafarers, with improved port efficiency and reduced turnaround times.

Highlighting broader achievements, Modi said that in the last 10 years, India has doubled its port capacity and significantly enhanced maritime logistics. He projected Vizhinjam as a gateway that will further strengthen India’s economic and strategic positioning in global trade.