Today marks the release of my latest book, Blocking India’s Shipbuilding Mise-en-scène. For me, this isn’t just the end of a writing journey—it’s the beginning of a larger conversation I hope to spark about India’s forgotten maritime potential.
The book was born from frustration—but also from affection. Having worked across the shipyards of Korea and China, I have seen firsthand how national ambition, strategic policy, and industrial discipline come together to create world-class capabilities. I’ve also seen what it means for a country to believe in its shipyards, not just as factories of steel, but as symbols of sovereignty, power, and progress.
And yet, India—with its vast coastline, deep maritime heritage, and early independence-era advantages—chose instead to look the other way.
This book explores how and why India missed the boat. It’s not just about shipyards or budgets; it’s about mindset. About ambition. About what we choose to build as a nation—and what we abandon, sometimes without realizing the cost.
I’ve structured the book around key chapters in India’s industrial and maritime history, using real-world comparisons with Japan, South Korea, and China. But I’ve also woven in personal reflections—what it feels like to walk a dry dock in Shanghai, or to hear steel echoing in a yard in Geoje while thinking, “This could have been Cochin.”
Why Should This Matter to You?
Because maritime strength is national strength.
Shipbuilding is not just about ships. It’s about jobs. Metallurgy. Electronics. Systems engineering. Innovation. Trade security. Diplomatic leverage. And cultural imagination.
If India wants to be taken seriously as a global power, it cannot afford to neglect the ocean that surrounds it.
What You’ll Find Inside
- A critical comparison between India’s maritime trajectory and those of leading Asian powers
- A candid assessment of policy failures, both historical and current
- Provocative ideas for how India can still reclaim its space in global shipbuilding. Reflections from inside major Asian shipyards where I’ve worked closely
- Maritime quotes, historical anecdotes, and a dose of industrial realism
An Invitation
I invite readers—technocrats, students, policymakers, academics, naval historians, and the globally curious—to take this voyage with me. Whether you agree or disagree, I hope the book will make you think.
If you read it, I’d be honoured by your feedback or a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. It truly helps a book sail further.
To my friends and colleagues across the maritime world: this is my offering. To India: this is my wake-up call.
Blocking India’s Shipbuilding Mise-en-scène is now available on Amazon worldwide: Blocking India’s Shipbuilding Mise-en-Scène: A Trillion-Dollar Economy Waiting to Be Unleashed: Amazon.co.uk: Bhatia, Mr Prabhjot S: 9798282460940: Books
Warmly,
Prabhjot S Bhatia
www.tmlglass.com | LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/prabhjot-s-b-b0799824