India’s ports are evolving from traditional cargo handling points into comprehensive logistics and industrial hubs, driven by public-private partnerships and adoption of global best practices, according to Vijay Kumar, Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Kumar made these remarks on Wednesday while addressing a gathering of approximately 200 investors and industry representatives at a round-table event during Singapore Maritime Week 2026.

Kumar emphasized that India is making steady progress to sustain economic growth, attract foreign and domestic investment, and better integrate into global value chains through enhanced port infrastructure and services. Since 2013-14, the country has more than doubled its cargo handling capacity at major ports, from 1,400 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 2,771 MTPA. The government aims to further increase this capacity to 3,500 MTPA by 2030 and reach 10,000 MTPA by 2047.

In the fiscal year 2025-26, India’s major ports handled over 915 million tonnes of cargo, marking the highest throughput on record and sustaining an annual growth rate exceeding 7%. Kumar identified the next key objective as achieving world-class efficiency in port operations and becoming a hub for transshipment, which involves the transfer of goods from one vessel to another.

Beyond port infrastructure, Kumar also outlined significant developments in the Indian shipbuilding sector. The government is working to establish a national container shipping line and expand the country’s energy fleet through joint ventures. Additionally, a ship financing scheme is operational at the duty-free Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), aimed at facilitating investment in the maritime industry.

These initiatives form part of a broader strategy to transform India’s maritime sector into an integrated ecosystem that supports industrial growth, job creation, and enhanced connectivity in regional and global trade networks.