**Executive Summary**
The Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) will hold its third meeting (IWDC 3.0) on January 23, 2026, in Kochi, Kerala. The meeting aims to highlight the achievements of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector and outline its future vision. Discussions will include building resilient urban water transport systems, enhancing cargo transport efficiency, and advancing river cruise tourism.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **IWDC 3.0 Meeting:**
* Scheduled for January 23, 2026, in Kochi, Kerala.
* Chaired by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.
* To include State Support Agreements to strengthen Centre-State collaboration.
* **Objectives and Agenda:**
* Highlight the achievements of the IWT sector.
* Outline the future vision for inland waterways.
* Build a resilient urban water transport system.
* Enhance the efficiency of cargo transport.
* Promote green vessels for passenger transport.
* Advance river cruise tourism.
* Implement digital and sustainable practices.
* Review regulatory framework and address state concerns.
* **Inland Waterways Development:**
* India has an extensive network, moving over 145 million tonnes of cargo annually.
* 32 out of 111 National Waterways are operational for cargo and passenger movement across 23 states and 4 UTs.
* IWAI is responsible for the development, maintenance, and regulation of waterways.
* Cargo movement increased from 18 million tonnes (2013-14) to 145.84 million tonnes (2024-25).
* **Assam and Northeast Focus:**
* NW2 (Brahmaputra) handles over 98% of Assam's inland waterways cargo.
* Investments of ₹5,000 crore planned for the Northeast between 2025 and 2030.
* Focus on operationalizing Dibrugarh's Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE).
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways:**
* **Impact:** Responsible for overseeing the IWDC meeting, launching new initiatives, and driving the development of inland waterways.
* **Action Required:** Chair the IWDC meeting, implement new initiatives, sign State Support Agreements, and monitor progress.
**State Governments:**
* **Impact:** Collaboration is essential for project success. Concerns regarding ongoing projects will be addressed.
* **Action Required:** Attend the IWDC meeting, participate in discussions, sign State Support Agreements, and address any concerns.
**Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):**
* **Impact:** Central agency for developing, maintaining, and regulating waterways. Implementation of projects and initiatives impacts its operations.
* **Action Required:** Implement the decisions made at the IWDC 3.0 meeting, execute projects, and ensure the sustainable development of inland waterways.
**Cargo Shippers:**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of initiatives like the 'Jalvahak' Cargo Promotion Scheme and increased efficiency of cargo movement.
* **Action Required:** Shift cargo from road and rail to waterways to take advantage of incentives.
**Passengers/Tourists:**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of advancing river cruise tourism and promoting green vessels.
* **Action Required:** Utilize inland waterways for transportation and tourism, thereby supporting sustainable practices.
Key Entities Referenced
Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC): A national platform for coordinated and sustainable inland waterways development, bringing together policymakers and representatives of various state governments.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The central government ministry responsible for developing and maintaining inland waterways.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): The authority under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways responsible for development, maintenance and regulation of inland waterways.
Kochi, Kerala: Location of the upcoming IWDC 3.0 meeting, which is a key focus of the document.
National Waterway 2 (Brahmaputra): Highlights as a sustainable transport route in the North Eastern Region.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
IWDC 3.0 to Chart the Next Phase of Growth for
India’s Inland Waterways
Brahmaputra Drives Green Transport Shift as IWDC 3.0 Eyes
Next Phase for Assam
प्रव तथ: 20 JAN 2026 6:13PM by PIB Delhi
The third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) will be held on January 23,
2026, at Kochi, Kerala, with the objective of highlighting the achievements of the Inland Water Transport
(IWT) sector and outlining its future vision.
The day-long session will be chaired by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri
Sarbananda Sonowal and will be attended by Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri
Shantanu Thakur along with ministers from various state governments.
During the meeting, the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will launch new initiatives to further
develop inland water transport in various states. Several State Support Agreements are also expected to be
signed, strengthening Centre-State collaboration for IWT projects.
The IWDC 3.0 agenda includes sessions on building a resilient urban water transport system, enhancing
the efficiency of cargo transport, promoting green vessels for passenger transport, advancing river cruise
tourism and implementing digital and sustainable practices. The meeting will also review the regulatory
framework for inland waterways and address concerns raised by states related to ongoing and proposed
inland water transport projects.
India boasts an extensive network of inland waterways, with over 145 million tonnes of cargo moved
annually, offering a fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transport. Inland waterways
complement the overburdened rail and road networks and facilitate initiatives such as Roll-on-Roll-off
(Ro-Ro) vehicle transport and river cruise tourism. Of the total 111 National Waterways across 23 states
and four union territories, 32 are currently operational for cargo and passenger movement. Inland
Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is primarily
responsible for development, maintenance and regulation of these waterways.
Cargo movement on national waterways has increased from 18 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 145.84
million tonnes in 2024-25, while passenger traffic has grown to 7.64 crore in 2024-25. This momentum
has been further accelerated through transformative initiatives such as the ‘Jalvahak’ Cargo Promotion
Scheme, incentivising shippers to shift cargo from road and rail to waterways, and ‘Jal Samriddhi’, which
promotes strong private sector participation in terminal development and operations.
“Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the IWDC has become a
truly collaborative national platform, bringing together policymakers and representatives of various state
governments and concerned departments to shape the future of inland waterways. Hon’ble Union Minister
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has transformed IWDC into a catalyst for aligning Centre-State priorities,translating policy intent into actionable outcomes, and advancing a greener, more efficient transport
ecosystem. By combining infrastructure development with sustainability and community participation, the
Council is reviving India’s riverine heritage and repositioning inland waterways as a preferred mode of
transport for cargo and passengers. In Kochi, we aim to consolidate the progress made since IWDC 1.0 in
2024 and IWDC 2.0 in 2025, accelerate project execution and scale green, technology-driven inland
waterways in close partnership with states,” said Sunil Paliwal, Chairman of IWAI.
Assam at IWDC 3.0
Steady growth in inland waterways traffic in Assam underscores how the IWDC has successfully
translated policy decisions into tangible outcomes over the past two years. Fully operational NW2
(Brahmaputra with multimodal terminals at Pandu and Jogighopa, permanent terminals at Dhubri and
Bogibeel, multiple floating terminals and assured depth maintenance from the Bangladesh border to
Sadiya is redefining sustainable transport in the North Eastern Region. NW2 handles over 98% of Assam’s
inland waterways cargo, including vehicles, over-dimensional cargo and construction materials.
Building on IWDC-led coordination, the government has planned investments of ₹5,000 crore for inland
waterways development in the Northeast between 2025 and 2030. Projects worth around ₹1152 crore are
already under implementation, with detailed project reports underway for the remainder. The upcoming
IWDC 3.0 meeting will focus on operationalising Dibrugarh’s Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE),
completing the ship-repair facility at Pandu and scaling green vessel operations, reinforcing IWDC’s role
as a national platform for coordinated and sustainable inland waterways development. The approach road
to Bogibeel River Port and a tourist jetty at Uzan Bazaar Ghat are likely to be announced during the
meeting alongside plans to develop 85 jetties across the region’s waterways.
The upcoming IWDC 3.0 meeting in Kochi is expected to serve as a dynamic forum to evaluate the
potential and advantages of the inland water transport sector and to chart a clear roadmap for its future
growth and expansion.
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