The Scindia Steam Navigation Company inaugurated a continental cargo service between India and Europe with the sailing of the SS Jalabala from Bombay (now Mumbai). This event marked a significant milestone in India’s maritime history, as it represented one of the early efforts by an Indian company to establish direct overseas cargo services to European countries.

The SS Jalabala, a cargo steamship owned by the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, was completed in 1927. She was built by Lithgows Ltd., Glasgow, and was primarily used to transport cargo between ports such as Karachi, Bombay, and Colombo. Tragically, during World War II, the SS Jalabala was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-532 on October 11, 1943, in the Laccadive Sea, resulting in the loss of five crew members.

The Scindia Steam Navigation Company, founded in 1919, played a pivotal role in the development of Indian shipping. It was the second oldest shipping company in India, after the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company. The company’s efforts to establish direct shipping routes between India and Europe were instrumental in reducing reliance on British shipping lines and promoting India’s maritime independence

The inauguration of the continental cargo service in 1948 was part of a broader movement to enhance India’s presence in international trade and shipping. By establishing direct sea routes, Indian shipping companies aimed to facilitate smoother and more efficient trade between India and European nations, thereby contributing to the country’s economic growth and asserting its maritime capabilities on the global stage.