Why India is racing to build deep-water ports to reclaim its lost maritime trade

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: India handles 95 percent of its trade by volume through the sea, yet shallow coastal waters force a quarter of its cargo to be diverted to foreign hubs. This logistical bottleneck costs the nation billions annually, prompting an ambitious infrastructure push to create deep-water transshipment ports that can finally accommodate massive vessels.

India’s maritime landscape is divided into major ports, managed by the central government, and non-major ports, which fall under state maritime boards or private partnerships. While the country boasts a vast coastline of 11,098 kilometres, its east coast ports are historically shallow, typically ranging between 8 and 12 metres in depth. Because global shipping standards for major ports require depths of 12 to 20 metres to handle vessels exceeding 1.65 lakh tonnes, India has struggled to host the world's largest ships directly.

This depth limitation forces significant cargo volumes to be transshipped through foreign hubs like Colombo, Jurong, and Klang. The economic impact is substantial, with estimates suggesting an annual loss of Rs 1,500 crore in direct port revenue and a broader setback to the national GDP of Rs 3,000 to 4,500 crore. To mitigate this, the government is developing automated international container transshipment hubs. Notably, the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram has achieved a 24-metre draft, positioning it as India’s deepest port and a strategic player located just 10 nautical miles from major international shipping lanes.

The classification system for these facilities is also evolving. As of September 2026, four facilities—Deendayal (Kandla), Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), Paradip, and Mundra—have been designated as 'Mega ports.' To qualify for this status, a port must handle at least 150 million metric tonnes of bulk cargo or 7.5 million TEUs in a single financial year. Beyond these hubs, India is expanding its capacity through projects like the Sagar Mala initiative, which integrates new greenfield ports with enhanced railway infrastructure to streamline the movement of goods across the peninsula.

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