The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed The Indian Ports Bill, 2025, which seeks to consolidate laws governing ports, promote integrated port development, improve ease of doing business, and ensure optimum use of India’s coastline.
The Bill, already cleared by the Lok Sabha on August 12, was introduced in the Upper House amid noisy protests. Opposition MPs staged a walkout demanding a discussion on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Replying to the debate, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said the new legislation marks a major reform in the maritime sector. He criticised the Congress, alleging that between 2004 and 2014 only one new law was introduced for the sector, while the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought 11 new legislations in the past 11 years.
“The laws made over 100 years ago by the British are outdated. If the laws are modern, competitive, business-friendly, eco-friendly and people-friendly, only then can we take the country forward,” Sonowal said.
The minister stressed that the Bill was drafted after extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including coastal states and port users, and is aligned with global best practices. It mandates the establishment of a maritime single-window system to enable seamless electronic data exchange, decriminalises certain offences, and modernises tariff regulations.
The Bill also provides for the creation of State Maritime Boards for the effective management of non-major ports and the establishment of a Maritime State Development Council to foster structured growth of the sector. It covers key areas such as pollution control, disaster management, safety, navigation, data governance, and compliance with international maritime obligations.
Replacing the century-old Indian Ports Act, 1908, the new legislation aims to usher in transparency, efficiency, and sustainability while strengthening India’s ambition of becoming a leading global maritime nation.