Indian Prime Minister Modi and French President Macron Visit CMA CGM to Discuss Global Trade Opportunities Strategically Critical to the United States
- Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO, welcomed Prime Minister Modi and President Macron to the CMA CGM Group headquarters in Marseille.
- The CMA CGM Group will play a pivotal role in the strategically critical IMEC project, enhancing trade and connectivity between India, the Middle East, and Europe, and strengthening key global trade networks.
MARSEILLE, France, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron were welcomed by Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, at the Group's headquarters in Marseille. The visit was one of the final stops of Prime Minister Modi's State Visit to France, ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Donald J. Trump at the White House on Thursday.
Discussions between the leaders focused on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a strategic international trade route designed to enhance connectivity between India and Europe that will play a vital role in supporting broader global trade networks. As a global player in maritime, land, air, and logistics solutions, the CMA CGM Group intends to actively contribute to this initiative.
Prime Minister Modi posted on X after the visit: "As India expands its maritime and trade networks, collaborations with industry leaders will play a crucial role in boosting connectivity, supply chains and economic growth. We are working towards enhancing India-France cooperation in logistics, sustainability and global trade, reinforcing our shared vision for a better maritime future."
A Key Role in the Ambitious and Strategically Important IMEC Project Connecting India, the Middle East, and Europe, the IMEC project aims to enhance transit between Europe and India through integrated maritime and land infrastructure, while also facilitating energy transport and telecommunications via a subsea cable. This strategic corridor will significantly boost trade between the European Union and the Middle East, as well as strengthen the resilience of global supply chains.
With a modern fleet adapted to alternative energy sources and key port hubs in India, the UAE, and the Mediterranean, CMA CGM will be a key contributor to the corridor's efficiency. Additionally, a network of dry ports along the IMEC rail route—stretching from India through Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to Europe—will leverage the Group's logistics expertise, reinforcing the economic and strategic vision of this alternative trade route.
By combining maritime flexibility with land connectivity, CMA CGM will play a vital role in the success of this transformative trade corridor.
CMA CGM Group: A Key Maritime and Logistics Player in India's Economic Exchanges
With a 34-year presence in India and 17,000 employees, CMA CGM connects the country to the world through 19 weekly maritime services. The Group is also developing port infrastructure in India, with strategic investments in terminals at Nhava Sheva Freeport (NSFT), near Mumbai, and Mundra Port.
CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM's logistics subsidiary, operates across 105 sites in 31 Indian cities, managing around 900,000 square meters of warehouse space. The acquisition of Stellar VCS in 2023 further strengthened CEVA Logistics' role in India's contract logistics sector, offering global expertise and innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency.
CMA CGM Foundation: 20 Years of Commitment in India and Worldwide
Chaired by Tanya Saadé Zeenny, the CMA CGM Foundation was established in 2005. It embodies and translates into concrete actions the family values and commitment to social responsibility of the CMA CGM Group. The Foundation is primarily dedicated to humanitarian efforts and access to education, carrying out numerous initiatives worldwide.
In India, the CMA CGM Foundation has partnered with Child Rights and You (CRY) and Salaam Baalak Trust to renovate and construct nine educational and social centers, supporting over 2,150 children annually. In 2025, the inauguration of three new centers in collaboration with CRY will further strengthen access to quality education for underprivileged children.
In coordination with the Crisis and Support Center of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in India, the CMA CGM Foundation delivered essential medical equipment to treat COVID-19 patients in India. In May 2021, a CMA CGM AIR CARGO aircraft transported medical supplies, including 28 ventilators, 200 electric syringe pumps, and oxygen production units capable of ensuring complete autonomy for Indian hospitals for approximately 10 years, in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
About CMA CGM
Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group is a global leader in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions. CMA CGM is also diversifying into the media sector.
As the third-largest global container shipping company in terms of capacity, CMA CGM serves over 400 ports across five continents, supported by a fleet of more than 650 vessels.
Through its subsidiary, CEVA Logistics, the Group is one of the top five global logistics players, managing over 11 million square meters of warehouse space worldwide.
CMA Media, a subsidiary of CMA CGM and the third-largest private media group in France, includes RMC-BFM and a press division that brings together renowned titles such as La Provence, Corse Matin, La Tribune, and La Tribune Dimanche.
Committed to the energy transition in maritime transport and a pioneer in the use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
The CMA CGM Foundation responds to humanitarian crises requiring urgent action by leveraging the Group's maritime and logistics expertise to deliver humanitarian aid worldwide. The Foundation also undertakes initiatives to promote education for all and equal opportunities.
Operating in 160 countries, the Group employs 160,000 people globally, including 20,000 in France, with nearly 6,000 based in Marseille, where its headquarters are located.
Press Contact
press-relations@cma-cgm.com
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