**Executive Summary**
The report details the impact of the Sagarmala Project on India's maritime trade. Implemented by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, the Sagarmala project aims to foster port-led development through financial assistance across five pillars. The project's various completed projects have collectively enhanced trade competitiveness, increased cargo handling capacity, and contributed to economic growth.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Sagarmala Project Overview:**
* A central sector scheme by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
* Promotes port-led development in India through financial aid across five pillars: port modernization, port connectivity, port-led industrialization, coastal community development, and coastal shipping & inland water transport.
* **Project Progress:**
* Six coastal berth construction projects (₹385.5 crore) have been funded under coastal shipping & inland water transport pillar; Five projects (₹320.5 crore) are completed.
* Completed projects have increased coastal cargo handling capacity by ~6.5 million tonnes.
* 17 of 24 projects (₹852.4 crore out of ₹1033.43 crore) funded under the port modernization pillar are complete, including automation, modernization, safety measures, and sustainable initiatives.
* 22 Completed projects have strengthened India's maritime trade competitiveness.
* **Future Plans:**
* Strategic allocation of funds to Sagarmala projects is planned across various pillars, including island development, digital infrastructure, skill development, and port-linked infrastructure.
* The project aims to support coastal communities, ancillary industries, multi-modal logistics parks, ship repair clusters, and green hydrogen fuel hubs.
* Expected to generate a multiplier effect on the national economy, enhance livelihoods, regional development, and maritime sector competitiveness.
* Aims to achieve the objectives of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways**
* **Impact:** The Ministry is responsible for promoting port-led development through the Sagarmala Project, influencing infrastructure development and economic growth.
* **Action Required:** The Ministry should continue to strategically allocate funds to various Sagarmala pillars, monitor project progress, and ensure alignment with the objectives of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047.
**Coastal Communities**
* **Impact:** Coastal communities are beneficiaries of the project through employment generation, infrastructure development, and support for ancillary industries.
* **Action Required:** Coastal communities need to engage with skilling initiatives and leverage the opportunities provided by the project to improve their livelihoods and regional development.
**EXIM Trade Sector**
* **Impact:** The EXIM trade sector is significantly impacted by enhanced cargo handling capacity, reduced logistics costs, and increased maritime trade competitiveness resulting from the project.
* **Action Required:** Businesses in the EXIM trade sector should capitalize on the improved infrastructure and reduced turnaround times to increase trade volume and efficiency.
Key Entities Referenced
Sagarmala: A central sector scheme under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways to promote port-led development through port modernization, connectivity, and industrialization.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The ministry responsible for the Sagarmala scheme.
Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047: A vision document that Sagarmala aims to help achieve.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Indian Parliament, where information regarding Sagarmala was presented.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
IMPACT OF SAGARMALA PROJECT ON THE
COUNTRY'S MARITIME TRADE
Posted On: 12 FEB 2026 6:30PM by PIB Delhi
Sagarmala is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways to promote port-
led development in the country. Under this scheme, the ministry provides financial assistance to the
projects under 5 pillars, namely port modernization, port connectivity, port-led industrialization, coastal
community development, and coastal shipping & inland water transport. Since the inception of the
scheme, 6 projects of construction of coastal berths worth ₹385.5 crore have been funded under the pillar
of coastal shipping & inland water transport. Out of these, 5 projects worth ₹ 320.5 crore have been
completed. The completed projects have increased coastal cargo handling capacity by ~6.5 million tonnes.
Further, 17 projects worth ₹852.4 crore out of 24 projects worth ₹ 1033.43 crore, funded under the port
modernisation pillar, have been completed. The completed projects resulted in implementation of
automation, modernisation, safety measures, and sustainable initiatives.
The above 22 completed projects have strengthened India’s maritime trade competitiveness by enhancing
cargo handling capacity, promoting coastal shipping, reducing logistics costs and turnaround times, thus
contributing to the country's EXIM trade and economic growth.
Allocating funds to Sagarmala projects outweighs the associated opportunity costs. This investment would
be strategically made in the projects across various pillars of Sagarmala i.e. port modernisation, port
connectivity, coastal community development, coastal shipping and inland water transport, ship repair and
recycling, and island development. Collectively, these pillars encompass the development of digital
infrastructure, skilling and employment generation for coastal communities, inland water transport, and
port-linked infrastructure to enhance EXIM trade competitiveness. This would also provide support to
coastal communities and promote ancillary industries such as multi-modal logistics parks, ship repair
clusters, and green hydrogen fuel hubs. These interventions would, inter alia, generate a strong multiplier
effect on the national economy while significantly enhancing livelihoods, regional development, and
competitiveness of the maritime sector and help in achieving the objectives of the Maritime Amrit Kaal
Vision (MAKV) 2047.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda
Sonowal, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
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