India is rapidly enhancing its inland ship repair and maintenance capabilities to strengthen inland water transport and achieve self-reliance in the maritime sector, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur said on Friday. Speaking to PTI ahead of India Maritime Week 2025, scheduled from October 27-31 in Mumbai, Thakur emphasized that inland waterways are now central to India’s maritime strategy.
Under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guided by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the government aims to transform the country’s inland waterways into engines of economic growth, aligning trade, logistics, and industrial standards with global benchmarks.
“Ship repair and maintenance facilities are no longer just technical additions; they are catalysts for economic transformation. Our goal is to ensure India’s inland waterways can support vessel operations independently,” Thakur said.
Two new Ship Repair Facilities (SRFs) have been commissioned on the Ganga in Patna and Varanasi (National Waterway-1), while another facility is under construction at Pandu, Guwahati, to serve the Brahmaputra (NW-2) and Barak (NW-16). These facilities are expected to reduce vessel turnaround times, generate employment, foster technical skills, and encourage MSME participation across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and the North Eastern Region.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), responsible for implementing these projects, aims to decentralize critical maritime infrastructure from coastal areas to riverine regions. The Patna and Varanasi SRFs are equipped to handle cargo carriers, passenger ferries, and other vessels, significantly lowering maintenance costs and downtime.
Thakur described the Pandu SRF as a “strategic game-changer” for the North East, serving as a hub for inland vessel maintenance and enhancing trade connectivity with Bangladesh and Bhutan, in line with India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First policies.
The initiative is also being reinforced at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), which has partnered with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd and Cochin Shipyard Ltd to expand technical capacity. A 128-acre plot at Jellingham near Medinipur has been allotted to Atreya Shipyard Pvt Ltd for dry docking, vessel repair, and allied works, marking a significant expansion of the port’s ship repair and shipbuilding capacity.
Thakur noted that the inland ship repair programme complements IWAI’s earlier achievements, including world-class multi-modal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj, and Haldia under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). The overarching goal is to develop a self-sustaining inland vessel ecosystem encompassing local shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair.
From an environmental perspective, the new SRFs are designed with waste management, water recycling, and energy-efficient systems, reflecting India’s commitment to sustainable maritime growth. Thakur reiterated that India’s long-term vision under Maritime Amrit Kaal 2047 is to become one of the top five global maritime nations by expanding the entire value chain from ship design and building to repair and recycling.
