By The Sampadak Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while commissioning the first phase of the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday, took a veiled dig at the Congress party, pointing to the presence of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the event.
Referring to the two INDIA bloc leaders sharing the stage, PM Modi remarked, “Today’s event will give sleepless nights to many,” in a comment widely interpreted as a jab at the Congress leadership in Delhi. When the translator stumbled over his statement, Modi added, “Let it be, the message has gone wherever it had to.”
Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in Parliament, has faced criticism within Congress in the past for praising aspects of the LDF government and backing certain policies of the Modi government. His public reception of the Prime Minister on Thursday night further fueled speculation about his political positioning.
Despite their alliance in the INDIA bloc nationally, the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF remain staunch rivals in Kerala, contesting elections in opposition to each other.
PM Modi also highlighted the evolving stance of political parties toward private-sector partnerships, pointing out that Kerala Ports Minister V.N. Vasavan referred to Adani Ports, the developer of the Vizhinjam project, as a “partner.” “This is a sign of a changing India,” Modi said, stressing the importance of public-private collaboration for national development.
Chief Minister Vijayan, in his address, called the port a long-cherished dream for Kerala, emphasizing that it is state-owned despite private sector participation. “This will become one of the country’s most significant ports and draw global attention,” he said.
Vizhinjam Port, located just 10 nautical miles from international shipping routes, is India’s first semi-automated deepwater transshipment port. With a natural depth of 18 metres—deeper than any other Indian port and comparable to leading international ports like Singapore and Colombo—it is poised to transform India’s maritime trade.
The first phase of the project was completed at a cost of ₹8,867 crore, with the Kerala government funding two-thirds of the investment—India’s largest state-level investment in a port. The port is equipped with automated yard cranes, remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes, and India’s first AI-powered Vessel Traffic Management System.
Trial operations began in July 2023, followed by commercial activity in December. Since then, over 272 large vessels have docked, and more than 5.5 lakh containers have been handled.“
Until now, 75% of India’s transshipment needs were fulfilled by foreign ports, leading to revenue losses. Vizhinjam will change this and bring new opportunities to Kerala and the nation,” Modi declared.
The Prime Minister was accompanied at the event by CM Vijayan, Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurian, and other senior officials.
