Ahmedabad, Apr 16 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that the upcoming National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) near Ahmedabad will represent India’s maritime heritage and aspirations.

Jaishankar visited the Lothal archaeological site, one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus Valley civilisation (IVC), and under-construction NMHC, located around 80 kilometres from Ahmedabad, on the third day of his Gujarat tour.

After visiting NMHC, Jaishankar said such an institution would anchor our research, planning and narratives in the maritime domain.

“Visited the Lothal archaeological site and the National Maritime Heritage Complex under construction. The Complex will represent our maritime heritage as well as aspirations. As we take forward the MahaSagar outlook, such an institution will anchor our research, planning and narratives in the maritime domain,” Jaishankar tweeted on X.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterway (MoPSW) is setting up a world-class NMHC at Lothal to showcase 4,500-year-old maritime heritage of India.

The Union Cabinet in October 2024 approved the development of the project, which will be completed in two phases. Phase 1A is expected to be completed by 2025.

Around 22,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created while developing the NMHC project, officials had said.

The implementation of NMHC will boost growth and immensely help the local communities, tourists and visitors, researchers and scholars, government bodies, educational institutions, cultural organisations, environment and conservation groups, and businesses.

As per the details shared by the officials, phase 1A of the project will have an NMHC museum with six galleries, which also includes an Indian Navy & Coast Guard gallery envisaged to be one of the largest in the country, with external naval artefacts (INS Nishank, Sea Harrier war aircraft, UH3 helicopter etc.), a replica model of Lothal township surrounded by open aquatic gallery, and jetty walkway.

Phase 1B includes eight more galleries for the museum, a lighthouse museum, planned to be the tallest in the world, and Bagicha Complex (with a parking facility for about 1500 cars, food hall, medical centre, etc.).

Phase 2 proposes coastal state pavilions (to be developed by respective maritime states and Union Territories), a hospitality zone, the recreation of real-time Lothal city, a maritime institute and hostel, and four theme-based parks.

Jaishankar spent two days in Narmada district, inspecting and launching developmental projects in villages he had adopted in different talukas of the district under the MPLAD scheme. On Tuesday, he also interacted with the students of Charusat University. PTI KA PD NSK