When we remember the maritime dominance of the Chola kingdom and the amazing skills of traditional shipbuilders in Gujarat, it does seem strange that India is less than a footnote in the ranks of the world’s shipbuilding countries. It is estimated that India today has as many as 61 shipyards, but only about 8 of them are considered large enough to count.
Surprisingly enough, shipbuilding, as an industry, has always received stepmotherly treatment from the government. Surprising because India has a large labour force, and shipbuilding is known as a labour-intensive industry. The exception was Indira Gandhi, who realised this
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