More than 1,200 speakers, delegates and industry participants from nearly 75 countries will gather in New Delhi from 7 to 9 October for the third edition of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, a major international forum focused on the future of the global maritime sector.

Co-hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), the event will be held under the theme, ‘Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea’.

First launched in New Delhi in 2024 and later hosted in Mumbai during India Maritime Week 2025, Sagarmanthan has developed into a prominent annual platform for discussions on the blue economy, ports, shipping, maritime logistics, ocean governance and coastal livelihoods.

The 2026 gathering comes at a time when vital maritime routes carrying global trade, energy supplies, food resources and critical minerals face increasing pressure from geopolitical tensions, climate-related challenges and rapid technological change. These disruptions often place a heavier burden on emerging economies and Small Island Developing States.

Over three days, the dialogue will feature high-level plenary sessions, ministerial and leadership addresses, fireside discussions, technical deliberations, ministerial engagements and studio conversations aimed at shaping future maritime policy and cooperation.

International participation will include senior policymakers such as Annick De Ridder of Belgium, Apostolos Tzitzikostas of the European Commission, Arvin Boolell of Mauritius, Chandra Bahadur Gurung of Bhutan, João Jorge Matlombe of Mozambique, Juras Taminskas of Lithuania, Stefanos Gkikas of Greece, U Tun Lu of Myanmar and Astrid Bergmål of Norway.

The event will also welcome distinguished global figures including former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa and former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed.

India will be represented by Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, Secretary Vijay Kumar and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.

Discussions will be organised around five thematic pillars: safeguarding maritime flows in a fragmented world; advancing greener ships and shipbuilding; managing trade, connectivity and global turbulence; strengthening ocean-linked communities, cultures and livelihoods; and improving links between harbour cities and their hinterlands.

The dialogue is guided by the belief that oceans can serve as a bridge in an increasingly fractured world and that stronger maritime cooperation can contribute to a more stable, inclusive and sustainable future. It also aligns with India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which places ports, shipping and the blue economy at the heart of the country’s long-term development strategy.

Beyond policy discussions, Sagarmanthan 2026 is expected to deepen collaboration across governments, industry, academia, technology, logistics, finance and multilateral institutions, reinforcing India’s growing role in global maritime affairs and ocean governance.

The event is supported by logistics partner DP World, alongside Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy and Fincantieri.

It is also being organised in partnership with the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, while the OECD, German Maritime Museum and MENA2050 will serve as knowledge partners.

ANI