How will Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool help India tackle shipping risks?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India has launched the ₹12,980-crore sovereign-backed Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP) at a time when tensions in West Asia and sanctions-related disruptions are increasing risks to global shipping and energy trade.The domestic insurance pool, with a total underwriting capacity of $1.5 billion and a sovereign guarantee of $1.4 billion, aims to ensure uninterrupted maritime insurance cover for Indian-linked vessels and cargo.Mint explains:India launched the BMIP to reduce heavy dependence on foreign insurers and reinsurers amid rising geopolitical tensions, sanctions, and war-related disruptions affecting global shipping. The immediate trigger is instability in West Asia, a region vital for India’s crude oil and energy imports.
Foreign insurers have withdrawn or restricted coverage in high-risk zones, leading to sharp premium increases and the threat of service disruptions. The government designed the pool to ensure continuity of maritime trade even if international players pull back due to sanctions or conflicts.Hitesh.
R Joshi, officiating chairman-cum-managing director of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re), told Mint that the availability of such protection also plays an important role in mitigating disruptions that could otherwise lead to shortages of fuel, food grains, fertilizers and other critical supplies, with consequential impacts on trade, industry and economic stability.The pool provides comprehensive coverage, including hull and machinery, cargo, protection and indemnity (P&I), and war-risk insurance. It applies to Indian-flagged vessels, Indian-controlled ships, and vessels destined for or originating from Indian ports.
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