India is accelerating one of its largest-ever maritime infrastructure expansion programmes, with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) targeting the creation of more than 700 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of additional port capacity by 2030, alongside major investments in inland waterways, shipbuilding and digitalisation.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on the Ministry’s Viksit Bharat targets, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal directed officials to fast-track implementation of flagship projects while ensuring strict adherence to timelines. He urged officials from the Ministry, major ports and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to work in a coordinated manner to realise India’s long-term maritime ambitions.
Among the key capacity expansion projects is the Vadhavan Port, which is expected to add 164 MTPA by 2030-31. Other major developments include the Tuticorin Outer Harbour Project, which will contribute 39 MTPA, and the Kandla Tuna Tekra Terminal, expected to add 33 MTPA by 2027-28.
Overall, the Ministry plans to create 682 MTPA of additional capacity by 2030 through a combination of new infrastructure, mechanisation and private sector participation. This includes 306 MTPA at major ports, 193 MTPA at key non-major ports, and 183 MTPA through mechanisation, operational efficiency improvements, public-private partnerships (PPP) and capacity augmentation at emerging non-major ports.
Reviewing the sector’s performance, the Ministry highlighted that India has become the world’s largest ship recycling nation, while cargo movement on inland waterways has already crossed 200 million tonnes, achieving the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 target well ahead of schedule.
“These achievements demonstrate what India can accomplish when policy, execution and teamwork move together. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the maritime sector has emerged as one of the strongest pillars of India’s economic transformation,” said Sarbananda Sonowal.
The Ministry has also set ambitious efficiency targets, aiming to increase cargo handling mechanisation at ports from 76% in FY 2025-26 to 93% by 2030, reducing turnaround time and improving productivity.
Private sector participation is expected to play an increasingly significant role, with cargo handled through PPP projects projected to rise from 44% in 2013-14 to 85% by 2030-31. Additionally, the Ministry plans to achieve 100% digitalisation across the maritime sector by 2030 through integrated digital platforms designed to improve logistics efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
India’s shipbuilding sector also registered impressive growth during the review period. Domestic shipbuilding output increased 41%, rising from 40,923 gross tonnes (GT) in 2024 to 57,637 GT in 2025.
To strengthen domestic shipbuilding capacity, the government has granted in-principle approvals for greenfield shipbuilding clusters in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, each planned with a capacity of 1.2 million GT. Similar approvals for Maharashtra and Odisha are expected by August-September 2026.
Further boosting the sector, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with HD Hyundai-KSOE for developing a shipbuilding cluster in Tamil Nadu, with the government extending 100% financial support for common maritime infrastructure required for these industrial ecosystems.
The Ministry also noted a significant increase in the value of vessels being built domestically, with the average contract value per vessel rising more than fivefold to ₹212 crore, compared with ₹41 crore earlier, reflecting India’s growing capability to construct larger, more sophisticated and technologically advanced ships.
