At the ABP Ideas of India Summit, Shashi Tharoor highlighted the significant presence of private-public partnerships in Kerala, pointing to the William International Seaport Project in his own constituency. Though it began operations in December 2024, construction had been underway for nearly a decade. He noted that PPPs, where the state provides land and the private sector brings capital and expertise, are now becoming widespread across India.
Recalling his visit to Vizhinjam Port, Tharoor shared a striking example of community involvement. He described seeing a young girl, the daughter of a fisherman, operating one of the world’s largest cranes from an air-conditioned room using a complex joystick setup. A decade ago, such work required significant physical strength, but now technology and training have enabled young people from humble backgrounds to take on these roles. For Tharoor, this exemplifies that development is not merely about numbers or infrastructure but about transforming human lives.
He expressed curiosity about the long-term vision for Vizinjam and how it compares to major ports like Mundra. Tharoor emphasized that India, with its coastline even longer than China’s, has the potential to become a major Indian Ocean power and that strategic development of ports is key to achieving that goal.
