India’s coastline, stretching over 7,500 kilometres and dotted with more than 200 ports, reveals a deepening chasm in the pace of development between its major and minor maritime gateways.
While the country’s 12 major ports, under the direct administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, have consistently benefited from a stream of public investments, digital transformation and modern infrastructure, the state-managed non-major ports continue to grapple with uneven growth and mounting operational challenges. This widening development gap raises critical questions about the long-term sustainability and equity of India’s coastal economy, especially in the backdrop of the central government’s flagship Sagarmala initiative.
Despite being conceptualised as a transformative programme for port-led development, Sagarmala’s execution has largely favoured strategic infrastructure near major ports. Data accessed from the Ministry reveals that a total of 71 projects have received central assistance under the scheme, amounting to ₹4,925 crore. While these interventions span multiple objectives—from cruise terminals and ferry services to coastal community upliftment—a significant portion of the funding has strengthened already-thriving port zones, primarily under central jurisdiction. Conversely, many state-administered minor ports remain undercapitalised, leaving their full potential as regional economic engines untapped.
The contrast is particularly stark when juxtaposing cargo handling capacities. Major ports account for the lion’s share of India’s maritime freight movement, courtesy of sustained central focus on automation, containerisation and deep-draft berths. Minor ports, meanwhile, often lack even basic connectivity or berthing infrastructure, forcing coastal economies in smaller states and union territories to remain reliant on inland or road freight. The Ministry’s push to support minor ports through financial aid to state governments has not translated into scalable results due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, fragmented state policies, and limited private interest in non-strategic coastal zones.
Efforts to bridge the divide have been underway. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), for instance, is spearheading the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) along National Waterway-1, aiming to enhance cargo movement through inland navigation from Varanasi to Haldia. The project has created employment across several eastern states, especially Bihar and West Bengal, while also reducing carbon footprint through modal shift in freight. However, inland waterways alone cannot correct the imbalance in coastal port development unless there is a strategic convergence of state and central policy execution.
Instituted in 1997, the Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) was tasked with enabling synergy between state governments and the Centre for balanced port development. However, with just 20 meetings convened in over 25 years, its influence appears symbolic rather than transformative. In an era where green logistics, decarbonised supply chains and regional equity have become critical to economic sustainability, the country’s port strategy must evolve beyond centralised modernisation. A decentralised, community-focused approach that builds resilience in smaller ports could unlock employment, empower coastal populations, and realise India’s vision of an equitable blue economy.
The uneven landscape of India’s port development is no longer a logistical concern—it is a social one. Without recalibrated investments and governance reforms that favour inclusion, minor ports risk slipping further behind, even as the country’s maritime ambitions continue to rise. In a nation aspiring for zero-carbon infrastructure and inclusive growth, port parity must not remain an afterthought.
India Port Growth Highlights Coastal Inequity Between Major and Minor Maritime Hubs
