China's Shipbuilding Dominance Raises Strategic Concerns for India

The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported that China's share of global shipbuilding output increased from under 5% in 2000 to over 53% in 2025. This dominance is significant because Chinese yards produce both commercial tankers and military vessels for the PLA Navy. India, which currently accounts for less than 1% of global output, has approved a Rs 69,725 crore package to revitalize its shipbuilding sector.

The report notes that China State Shipbuilding Corporation produces more commercial tonnage annually than the entire American shipbuilding industry has produced since the Second World War. This scale of Chinese dominance is described as a strategic concern for New Delhi, prompting both India and the United States to increase their own shipbuilding capabilities.

The global shipbuilding market is currently experiencing concentration, alongside growth in the Indian shipbuilding industry.