India emerged as the world’s largest ship-recycling nation in 2025, achieving a key target of the Maritime India Vision 2030 five years ahead of schedule. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data, the country’s ship recycling volume rose sharply to 2.99 million gross tonnes (GT) in 2025 from 1.86 million GT in 2024, boosting its global market share from 30.1 per cent to 35.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to expand capacity at the Alang ship recycling yard, aiming to nearly doubling national recycling capacity in the coming years. With thousands of ageing vessels expected to be retired worldwide over the next decade, India is well placed to expand its leadership in sustainable ship recycling.