The Central government plans to expand the role of inland waterways in India’s freight transport system, the Economic Survey 2025–26 stated, highlighting the potential to reduce logistics costs, ease road congestion, and improve environmental sustainability.
The Survey noted that India has over 14,500 km of navigable waterways, but utilization for cargo movement remains limited. By promoting multimodal logistics and modernizing ports and terminals, the government aims to shift a significant share of freight from road and rail to waterways.
Officials said enhancing inland water transport could lower transportation costs by up to 30%, improve energy efficiency, and facilitate smoother movement of bulk commodities like coal, fertilizers, cement, and agricultural produce. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader push for green logistics and infrastructure development.