India has become the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, accounting for 12.16% of the global maritime workforce, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, highlighting the country’s growing prominence in the international shipping industry.

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• India has become the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, with 311,936 maritime professionals, accounting for 12.16% of the global seafaring workforce, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
• The Philippines continues to remain the world’s largest supplier of seafarers, while India has climbed from fifth position in 2015 to the second position in 2026, reflecting rapid growth in its maritime workforce.
• India supplied 140,718 ship officers, representing 13.41% of the global officer workforce, along with 171,218 ratings, contributing 11.29% of the world’s ratings workforce.
• Ship officers perform navigation, engineering, command, and management functions, whereas ratings are responsible for operational, technical, maintenance, and support duties aboard merchant vessels.
• The Government of India is implementing Mission 20%, an ambitious initiative aimed at increasing India’s share of the global seafaring workforce to 20% through expanded maritime training, greater shipboard employment opportunities, and digital service reforms.
• The number of Indian seafarers has grown significantly from 62,267 in 2010 to 3,23,429 in 2025, reflecting substantial expansion in maritime education, skill development, and employment opportunities.
• Women’s participation in India’s maritime workforce has witnessed remarkable growth, increasing from nearly 1,600 women seafarers in 2021 to more than 7,000 in 2025, indicating greater gender diversity in the shipping sector.
• Despite this achievement, maritime labour welfare remains a challenge. In 2025, 1,125 Indian seafarers were among the 6,223 abandoned seafarers worldwide, highlighting the need for stronger international labour protections and enforcement of maritime welfare standards.