The recent flare-up of conflict involving Iran, combined with the onset of the southwest monsoon, has exposed how crucial Salaya port in Gujarat is for India’s traditional dhow (mechanised sailing vessel, MSV) trade with the Gulf region.
Salaya: Hub of India’s traditional sailing fleet
Salaya, located in Devbhoomi Dwarka district along the Gulf of Kutch, is one of the most important bases for India’s MSV fleet. The port and its surrounding creeks provide natural protection with shallow waters and mangroves, making it a safe anchorage for wooden, mechanised sailing vessels during rough weather.
Out of around 275 MSVs operating from Gujarat, roughly 175 are based at Salaya, which effectively makes it the state’s principal dhow port. These vessels typically carry livestock, foodgrains like rice and wheat, onions, sugar, and soybean products to ports in the Gulf and East Africa, sustaining thousands of families tied to the dhow and coastal trade ecosystem.
Geopolitics and weather: A double blow
The conflict in West Asia, particularly involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, raised serious concerns for these small Indian vessels sailing to and from Gulf ports. Any escalation or disruption along these routes puts MSVs at risk of getting caught in hostilities, facing detentions, or being unable to return home safely.
At the same time, the approaching monsoon in the Arabian Sea marks a dangerous period for traditional vessels, which generally avoid open-sea voyages during peak rough-weather months. If dhows remained stuck in the Gulf region due to the conflict, they could be forced to endure both geopolitical turbulence and hazardous sailing conditions, creating the possibility of a major maritime and livelihood crisis for Gujarat’s dhow community.
Regulatory relief to avert a crisis
To ease this situation, the Indian government introduced a temporary regulatory relaxation. Authorities allowed mechanised sailing vessels belonging to Salaya and Okha to complete crew sign-on and sign-off formalities at Porbandar, by treating it as an Immigration Check Post (ICP) for these non-notified ports.
This change meant that MSVs did not have to depend on busy or potentially risky foreign ports for crew changes and documentation, and could instead sail back towards Gujarat and complete all formalities locally while continuing to use Salaya as their operational base. Officials indicate that over 15 vessels have already benefited, and close to 100 MSVs could be covered by this arrangement during the monsoon window, sharply reducing the risk of them being stranded in conflict-affected waters.
Why Salaya remains strategically important
The episode underscores Salaya’s importance not just as a traditional dhow harbour, but as a strategic safety valve for India’s small-vessel trade with the Gulf. It concentrates most of India’s MSV fleet, offers relatively sheltered conditions during rough seas, and serves as a gateway for low-value, high-volume exports that are critical for local coastal economies.
By temporarily easing regulations and providing an alternative point for immigration and customs formalities, authorities helped Salaya-based vessels avoid a potential maritime disaster amid war and monsoon. The situation demonstrates that flexible, responsive policy support is essential to protect this traditional but economically significant maritime trade when external shocks hit shipping routes.
