‘Sleepless nights to many’: PM Modi's swipe at INDIA bloc over presence of Tharoor, Kerala CM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday targeted the Opposition INDIA bloc, saying that the presence of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor at the inauguration of the Vizhinjam port would give sleepless nights to many.

“I would also like to say to the chief minister (Pinarayi Vijayan), you are a very strong pillar of the INDI alliance (INDIA bloc). Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here, and today’s event will give sleepless nights to many,” said PM Modi.

However, the translator seemed to have struggled with accurately conveying Prime Minister's remark. In response, Modi said, “Message chala gaya jahan jana tha,” which translates to, “The message has reached where it was meant to.”

The Vizhinjam seaport in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), the ₹8,867 crore project is India’s first deep-water container transhipment port, designed to elevate the country’s position in global shipping.

Built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the port operates on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis. With an annual capacity of up to 5 million TEUs, the port has already handled around 250 container ships since it began operations last July.

India among top three countries for seafarers, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Modi highlighted India's growing maritime strength, saying that the country ranks among the top three globally in terms of seafarers.

Over the past decade, India’s port capacity has doubled, efficiency has improved, and turnaround time has reduced by 30 per cent, he added.

Speaking about the Vizhinjam port, Modi said that it has been built at a cost of ₹8,800 crore, with plans to triple its transshipment hub capacity in the near future.

“It is designed to accommodate large cargo ships, addressing a critical need. Until now, 75 per cent of India's transshipment activities were conducted at foreign ports, resulting in significant revenue losses for the country,” he added.