1 . Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative (S2I2)
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Infrastructure • Ports & Shipping • Logistics • Blue Economy • Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative (S2I2) was launched on March 2025 to establish an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem for India’s maritime sector.
- Maritime India Foundation (MIF), functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), is the designated implementing agency.
- Maritime Innovation Hubs (MIHs) have been established at IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur and Indian Maritime University (IMU), Chennai.
- MIHs support technology development, testing, validation, capacity building and handholding of startups, creating a pathway from port-led problem identification → pilot → scale-up.
- MAR-a-THON 2025, India’s first maritime hackathon, was launched under S2I2 at IIT Madras by MIF in collaboration with Chennai Port Authority (ChPA) and NTCPWC, IIT Madras.
- The hackathon received 330 startup applications for 51 problem statements.
- Following evaluation, 36 startups were selected for 40 projects to develop solutions for real-world maritime challenges.
- Visakhapatnam Port has identified 4 problem statements, with 2 startups from Andhra Pradesh onboarded to develop solutions.
- Sagarmala Programme was launched in 2015 as a flagship port-led development initiative of MoPSW.
2. Cultivation of Kalanamak Rice
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Agriculture • Crops & Cropping Patterns • Food Processing • Agricultural Marketing • GI Tags • Farmers’ Income
- Kalanamak rice is a traditional landrace of rice cultivated mainly in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, with Siddharthnagar being its important production area.
- Production in Siddharthnagar increased more than five-fold between 2018 and 2025, while the number of farmers cultivating Kalanamak increased from 2,915 (2018) to 23,000 (2024).
- Its sale price increased from ₹40/kg in 2018 to ₹150/kg in 2026, resulting in more than three-fold higher profitability compared with normal rice.
- Kalanamak has GI recognition, supporting its geographical identity, branding and premium-market positioning.
- Under PMFME and ODOP Margin Money Scheme, individual micro-units and FPOs setting up Kalanamak processing/milling units can receive credit-linked capital subsidy up to 35%, subject to a maximum of ₹10 lakh.
- A Common Facility Centre (CFC) has been established in Siddharthnagar under ODOP for processing, packaging and export support.
- ICAR/National Agricultural Research System is involved in the development of improved varieties and conservation of Kalanamak landraces.
- Six improved varieties have been released and notified, including Bauna Kalanamak 101, Bauna Kalanamak 102, Kalanamak Kiran, Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1 and Pusa CRD Kalanamak 2.
- The two dwarf high-yielding varieties mentioned in the PIB release have an average yield of 5 tonnes/ha, compared with 2.5 tonnes/ha for traditional varieties.
- APEDA is facilitating exports by connecting regional FPOs with international buyers, including markets such as Singapore and Nepal. Kalanamak is also promoted as “Buddha Rice” for high-value markets in Buddhist-majority/heritage markets.
3. Research Capacity Building in Ayurveda
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: Government Policies & Interventions • Health • Traditional Knowledge + GS III: Science & Technology • Research & Innovation
- PRAYATNA is a flagship initiative of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) aimed at improving scientific writing and research-publication skills among Ayurveda PG and Ph.D. scholars.
- The initiative follows a structured process: Expression of Interest (EoI) → online orientation → individual manuscript assistance → 3-day physical workshop → publication-ready manuscript.
- CCRAS is the apex research body under the Ministry of Ayush for formulation, coordination, development and promotion of research in Ayurveda on scientific lines.
- The CCRAS Digital Initiatives Dashboard integrates the Council’s research resources, institute websites, journals, schemes, knowledge/literature portals and digital applications on a single platform, improving accessibility and dissemination of research outputs.
- CCRAS has also developed “A Textbook of Research Methodology” under the Ayurved Prabodhini Granthamala series, aligned with the outcome-based dynamic curriculum for MD/MS Ayurveda under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM).
- The textbook covers core research skills including literature search, research-question formulation, hypothesis, research design, data analysis, ethical considerations and scientific writing.
- The book contains 21 chapters across six modules and was developed through structured drafting, peer review and editorial refinement, involving experts from Ayurveda and modern scientific streams.
- CCRAS institutes/laboratories are also covered under NABH and NABL accreditation frameworks, strengthening standards in healthcare services, testing and research infrastructure.
4. Launch of Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel – Shruti
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Defence • Defence Technology • Indigenous Shipbuilding • Maritime Security • Aatmanirbhar Bharat
- Yard 3037 (Shruti), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), was launched on 11 August 2026 at GRSE, Kolkata.
- NGOPVs are being indigenously designed and built and are being constructed concurrently at GRSE, Kolkata and GSL, Goa.
- The vessels will augment the existing Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs)/Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) for multi-domain maritime operations.
- Major roles include: Maritime surveillance + Search & Rescue (SAR) + Protection of offshore assets + Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) + Anti-piracy operations
- The vessel has been named ‘Shruti’, referring to the four Vedas, reflecting India’s maritime tradition and cultural heritage.
- GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers) is a Defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence and is headquartered in Kolkata.
- Offshore Patrol Vessels are primarily designed for long-duration maritime patrol, surveillance, EEZ protection, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy and search-and-rescue operations, making them important for India’s maritime domain awareness.
5. Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS)
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Infrastructure • Logistics • Manufacturing • Ports & Shipping • Atmanirbhar Bharat
- Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) was announced in the Union Budget 2026–27 with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years to create a globally competitive domestic container manufacturing ecosystem.
- India currently imports nearly 2 million empty containers annually, creating dependence on global supply chains and exposing domestic trade to container shortages and freight-rate volatility.
- Container: Standardised freight equipment used for transporting cargo across ships, railways and road transport without unloading/repacking, enabling intermodal transport.
- Container capacity is commonly measured in TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit): 20-foot container = 1 TEU + 40-foot container = 2 TEUs
- The scheme targets around 1 million TEUs of annual domestic manufacturing capacity over the next decade, strengthening India’s position in the global maritime manufacturing value chain.
- CMAS is expected to generate around 3,000 direct and 50,000+ indirect jobs and create demand for ancillary industries such as corner castings, wooden components and specialised steel.
- The initiative complements Make in India, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, PM Gati Shakti, National Logistics Policy and Sagarmala Programme to strengthen multimodal and maritime logistics.
- Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL) was proposed in February 2026 by bringing together Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), CONCOR, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Ltd., creating an integrated container-shipping ecosystem.
- In July 2026, India’s first India-manufactured EXIM shipping container for P. Moller–Maersk was rolled out at Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, conforming to ISO standards and the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC).
- CSC Convention (1972) establishes internationally accepted safety standards for containers, including testing, inspection and approval requirements, facilitating safe international container transport.
