“Loot at the Docks: How India’s Port Babus Turn Harbours Into Hunting Grounds”
For centuries, ports have been symbols of trade, strength, and pride. But talk to sailors who dock at indian ports today, and the picture is shameful: officials boarding ships not to inspect, but to plunder. Food, liquor, cigarettes — anything meant for the crew becomes “gifts” snatched under the table. Add bribes for crew changes, and India’s ports become less about commerce and more about corruption. Here’s how the rot runs deep:
1. Welcome to the Port, Welcome to the Loot
The moment a ship enters indian waters, it’s not customs checks or safety inspections sailors dread — it’s the babus barging in to help themselves like pirates in uniform.
2. Crew Rations = Free-for-All
Meals meant for exhausted sailors, liquor meant for controlled onboard consumption, and cigarettes rationed for weeks at sea suddenly vanish into officials’ “goodie bags.”
3. “Gifts” or Daylight Theft?
What port authorities in india call “gifts,” sailors call it what it really is — theft, extortion, and humiliation. Worse, it’s normalized to the point where refusing is not even an option.
4. Disgust in Every Docking
Sailors openly admit: docking at indian ports feels worse than docking in poorer nations. The reputation of India’s ports is being shredded not by infrastructure, but by corruption on two legs.
5. Bribes for Crew Changes
Changing crew members — a basic logistical necessity — comes with its own price tag. Money is demanded under the table just so human beings can disembark or join legally.
6. No Shame, No Accountability
Unlike ports in Singapore, Colombo, or even smaller African nations, where rules are clear and dignity is maintained, indian ports run on a culture of “what’s in it for me.”
7. Global Embarrassment
Every sailor who leaves india carries the same story: corruption at the docks. This not only shames our nation but discourages global operators from trusting indian ports.
💥 Bottom Line: india loves to call itself a rising maritime power, but as long as its ports remain dens of small-time looters in official chairs, the world will only see us as a place where babus line their pockets at the expense of dignity, trade, and national pride.
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