VMPL
Goa [India], October 31: Positioning Goa as an emerging destination for investment in renewable energy and maritime infrastructure, SARC, under the leadership of its Founder and Chairman Sunil Kumar Gupta, organised two focused business sessions on the second day of the Vibrant Goa Global Business Summit 2026.
The sessions, titled 'Solar Rising' and 'Maritime Horizons: Shipping, Ports & Dredging', brought together government representatives, public sector undertakings, industry leaders, investors, developers and financial institutions to explore investment opportunities and identify actionable projects in the two sectors.
The 'Solar Rising' roundtable, chaired by Goa Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar and moderated by Sunil Kumar Gupta, examined the state's renewable energy potential and the scope for expanding solar power generation.
According to the discussions, Goa's renewable energy capacity stood at approximately 100 MW at the end of August 2026, while its evening peak power demand exceeded 800 MW. The discussion highlighted opportunities in rooftop solar, floating solar projects on reservoirs, canal-top solar installations, battery storage and pumped storage.
Participants also underlined the need for phased project implementation, protection of drinking water resources and dam safety, along with reliable payment security and financing mechanisms to attract private investment.
"Goa buys most of its power from outside the state, while its roofs, reservoirs and canals take in sunshine every day. Turning that sunshine into clean power is one of the clearest business opportunities in Goa today," Sunil Kumar Gupta said.
The second session, 'Maritime Horizons: Shipping, Ports & Dredging', was chaired by Goa Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho and moderated by Chandra Sekhar Akula, Senior Partner, SARC Global.
The panel featured Capt. S. Divakar, Managing Director and CEO of Dredging Corporation of India; Ragam Kishore, CEO of Vizag Seaport; R. Jayachandran, Managing Director of RKEC Projects; and Sudeep Bhatia, CFO of NIIF Infrastructure Finance
Limited.
The discussion focused on Goa's maritime infrastructure, including Mormugao Port, inland waterways, dredging, ship repair, dry-docking, logistics and opportunities for local MSMEs. Highlighting the sector's growth, the session noted that Mormugao Port handled approximately 21 million tonnes of cargo during 2025-26, registering a 16 per cent increase. Cargo movement across the Mandovi and Zuari waterways also increased from 2.84 million tonnes to 5.13 million tonnes, while Goa Shipyard's revenue rose to Rs 4,004 crore in FY26.
The panellists discussed long-term dredging requirements, strengthening the shipbuilding supply chain, expanding barge cargo and Ro-Ro services, the proposed Goa Water Metro and developing an integrated logistics network connecting Mormugao Port, Mopa Airport, waterways and rail infrastructure.
Sunil Kumar Gupta said Goa's ports, rivers and shipyard offer significant opportunities for investors, provided infrastructure projects are planned with a long-term vision and supported by bankable financing models.
"Goa's port, rivers and shipyard are growing faster than most in India. What investors now need is depth planned over years, a supplier base around the shipyard, and projects prepared well enough for lenders to finance," he said. Moving beyond discussions, SARC also introduced an action-oriented approach at both sessions, asking participants to identify one requirement from the government and one commitment from their respective organisations.
Sunil Kumar Gupta said SARC would submit a consolidated list of these commitments, with designated responsibility for each action, to the Government of Goa within seven days and follow up on their implementation.
The summit will conclude on October 31 with SARC's AI and Data Roundtable, featuring discussions on artificial intelligence in tourism and small businesses, cyber resilience, preparedness for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and positioning Goa as an AI-ready state.
The Vibrant Goa Global Business Summit 2026 is being organised by the Vibrant Goa Foundation in association with the Government of Goa, with SARC serving as the Curator. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited is the Power Partner, while NBCC (India) Limited is the Infrastructure Partner. The three-day summit is being held from October 29 to 31 at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Goa University, Taleigao.
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