Meanwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recounted the project’s turbulent history — from delays and natural disasters to legal battles and protests — noting that the LDF government overcame immense challenges by earning public trust and resolving coastal rehabilitation and livelihood concerns.
Published May 02, 2025 | 2:22 PM ⚊ Updated May 02, 2025 | 2:22 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating the Vizhinjam International Seaport to the nation. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Prime Minister Modi commissioned the ₹8,800-crore Vizhinjam International Seaport, India’s first mega transshipment terminal, marking a maritime milestone for Kerala. While Modi hailed its economic impact and took jabs at political opponents, Kerala CM Vijayan credited the LDF’s resolve. Congress honoured Oommen Chandy’s role, as CPI(M) rebutted Modi’s private sector remarks, asserting Kerala’s pragmatic yet accountable development approach.
In a grand ceremony marked by symbolism, political undercurrents, and maritime ambition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 2 May, commissioned the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram— India’s first mega transshipment container terminal, placing Kerala firmly on the global shipping map.
The commissioning of the ₹8,800-crore facility at Vizhinjam, India’s first semi-automated container terminal, signals a decisive shift in the country’s maritime economy by drastically cutting vessel turnaround times and reducing India’s reliance on foreign transshipment hubs like Colombo and Singapore.
After touring the port and taking stock of its state-of-the-art facilities, Prime Minister Modi declared Vizhinjam as a “torchbearer of development” for a Viksit Bharat, while also turning the event into a subtle yet pointed piece of political theatre.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the function . (Supplied)
In a lighthearted but loaded remark, the Prime Minister took a dig at the INDIA bloc, noting the irony of a communist- government minister praising private sector participation.
“I would like to remind the Kerala Chief Minister that you are part of the INDIA alliance. Shashi Tharoor (Congress MP) is also here… after this event, many people’s sleep will surely be disturbed,” Modi quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The remark was seen to be directed towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as industrialist Gautam Adani is involved in this mega project.
Referring to Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan’s open praise for the private sector’s role — a rarity in the state’s communist-dominated polity — Modi said, “A communist minister openly acknowledging private sector contribution — that itself shows the difference this development model has made.”
The prime minister underlined the strategic importance of the port, stating that once fully operational, Vizhinjam will triple the nation’s transshipment capacity and address the huge revenue loss India incurs by routing 75 percent of its container cargo through foreign ports.
“Ports like Vizhinjam will plug this loss and bolster the country’s financial stability,” he said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the function . (Supplied)
Weaving in historical resonance, Modi paid tribute to Adi Shankaracharya, who centuries ago journeyed from Kerala to unify spiritual India. “In the pre-independence era, India was a maritime powerhouse — and Kerala played a big part in it,” he noted.
The prime minister also flagged the Centre’s maritime initiatives under Sagarmala, port connectivity enhancements, and shipbuilding incentives.
In a lighter vein, he teased, “If people in Gujarat find out that Adani built a bigger port in Kerala than in their state, he may have to face their anger,” prompting applause.
Modi assured that the welfare of Kerala’s fishing community would remain a priority, citing modernization of Ponnani and Puthiyappa fishing harbours and Union allocations for their development.
Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan welcomed the prime minister, terming the commissioning a “proud moment for the country” and an occasion that heralds “the dawn of a modern era.”
“This is not just the opening of a port gate — it is the country’s grand gateway to the third millennium’s development potential,” Vijayan said, asserting that it was the will and resolve of the LDF government that reclaimed and revitalized Vizhinjam, turning it into a world-class facility.
Vijayan recounted the project’s turbulent history — from delays and natural disasters to legal battles and protests — noting that the LDF government overcame immense challenges by earning public trust and resolving coastal rehabilitation and livelihood concerns.
Pointing out that the state bore the major financial burden, with ₹5,370.86 crore invested against the Centre’s ₹818 crore viability gap funding, the chief minister said, “The national loss of $220 million is now being addressed from Kerala. This is a matter of pride for every Malayali.”
He also credited the Adani Group for executing the mission, while highlighting job creation and the integration of local women into crane operations and port services.
Ports Minister VN Vasavan, in his spirited welcome address, called the commissioning “a historic moment etched in golden letters” in Kerala’s maritime history.
He credited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as “the true architect of Vizhinjam”, declaring that the LDF government had turned an impossible dream into a reality.
“This moment belongs to Kerala and to a government that proved there’s no such thing as impossible,” Vasavan said, highlighting that 285 vessels had already called at the port since commercial operations informally began.
Meanwhile, former Kerala finance minister and senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s jibe that a Communist minister was praising a private player, terming it a distortion of Kerala’s political history and stance on development.
In a strongly worded social media post, Isaac recalled how the first Communist government in 1957, despite its ideological opposition to big capitalists, invited industrialist GD Birla to set up the Mavoor Rayon Factory for the state’s progress.
He said similar practical decisions have been made today, like cooperating with Adani Group for the Vizhinjam international seaport project, without compromising on political positions or accountability.
“Even when we opposed handing over Thiruvananthapuram airport to Adani, we ensured Vizhinjam port — crucial for Kerala’s growth — was not hindered,” Isaac wrote.
He criticised the Union government for what he called attempts to derail Kerala’s development projects, citing the Centre’s withdrawal from its promise of providing a viability gap fund for Vizhinjam, instead offering a repayable loan.
Accusing the Modi government and the RSS leadership in Nagpur of systematically targeting Kerala’s progressive infrastructure initiatives like KIIFB, Isaac said the Prime Minister’s ridicule of Kerala’s balanced approach to private participation was uncalled for.
Without naming BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Isaac also took a swipe at what he termed as “stage-clowns shouting slogans” in praise of the Centre at Vizhinjam while its actual financial contribution remained “negligible”
Even as Kerala marked a historic milestone with the commissioning, the Congress party observed solemn tributes across the state to honour the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, credited by the party as the visionary who laid the groundwork for the project.
At 11 AM, as per the directive of KPCC General Secretary (Organisation) M Liju, photographs of Chandy adorned all district headquarters under the leadership of Mandalam Congress Committees, in a gesture of remembrance and respect.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, in a pointed Facebook post on Friday morning, accused the ruling CPI(M) of attempting to erase history by side-lining Chandy’s pivotal role in the project’s realisation.
“Those who try to rewrite history are even afraid of his memories,” Satheesan remarked, while extending his best wishes for the port’s operational debut.
In a moving personal tribute earlier in the day, Kovalam MLA M Vincent, a close confidant of Chandy and one of the most vocal advocates for naming the port after the late leader, visited his grave in Puthuppally.
Lighting a candle and offering prayers, Vincent paid homage to the leader whose dream he said had finally come true.
Despite his criticism of the CPI(M) for excluding the Leader of the Opposition from the official ceremony, Vincent attended the event and notably shared the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, standing witness to the culmination of a project he claimed bore Oommen Chandy’s enduring imprint.
As the country eyes maritime self-reliance, this deep-sea port, capable of handling the world’s largest mother vessels, stands as a symbol of hope.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
