Cargo transportation through India’s National Waterways hit a record high of 145.84 million metric tonnes in FY25, with passenger traffic surging to 7.6 crore in 2024-25 from 1.61 crore the previous year. The country now boasts a network of 111 National Waterways spanning 20,187 km, of which 32 are currently operational, covering 5,155 km.
The government projects an increase in the number of operational waterways to 52 over the next five years. Cargo transportation on National Waterways reached 145.84 million metric tonnes in FY25 and 198 MMT by February 2026 in FY26. Major ports’ combined cargo handling capacity rose from 555 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY14 to 1,681 MTPA in FY25.
Furthermore, the turnaround time for container vessels significantly decreased from 41.76 hours in 2013-14 to 28.5 hours in 2024-25. The Union Budget 2026-27 announced plans to operationalize 20 new National Waterways in the next five years and introduced a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to shift cargo transportation from road and rail to waterways.
In alignment with the government’s vision, National Waterway-5 in Odisha will be operationalized to connect mineral-rich regions like Talcher and Angul with industrial hubs such as Kalinga Nagar and the ports of Paradip and Dhamra. Training institutes will be established as Regional Centres of Excellence along the NW-5 stretch to develop skilled manpower and empower local youth.
Moreover, a dedicated ship repair ecosystem for inland waterways will be established in Varanasi and Patna. India aims to increase the Inland Water Transport modal share from 2 per cent to 5 per cent and expand cargo volumes to over 200 MMT by 2030 and 500 MMT by 2047, as per the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision.
