27 MoUs Worth over Rs 660 Bn Signed to Transform India’s Maritime Sector

01 Oct 2025 CW Team

The MoUs cover a comprehensive spectrum of India’s maritime ambitions, including port infrastructure, shipping, shipbuilding clusters, global shipyard partnerships, green maritime projects, water metros, and heritage-linked initiatives. These projects aim to position India as a leading global maritime and shipbuilding hub by 2047, supporting the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Key highlights include:

Bahuda Port Development (Odisha): Paradip Port Authority, Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Sagarmala Finance Corporation, and the Odisha government signed an MoU for a new port with 150 MTPA capacity on 6,700 acres, attracting investments of Rs 215 billion and generating around 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Water Metro in Patna (Bihar): An MoU between the Inland Waterways Authority of India and the Bihar government for a Rs 9.08 billion project deploying energy-efficient electric ferries, modern terminals, and multimodal waterway transport integration.
Shipping Sector Collaboration: Shipping Corporation of India partnered with IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL to form a Vessel Owning Joint Venture Company, aiming to reduce foreign fleet dependence and promote Indian-built ships under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Shipbuilding Clusters: State governments of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu will collaborate with the Centre to develop state-of-the-art shipbuilding clusters, green innovation hubs, and R&D facilities, enhancing India’s global shipbuilding competitiveness.

News source: Business Standard

India witnessed a landmark series of agreements at the “Samudra Se Samriddhi – Transforming India’s Maritime Sector” programme in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Twenty-seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between public and private stakeholders, state governments, and international partners, collectively representing investments exceeding Rs 660 billion. The event was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and witnessed the participation of Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, and Shantanu Thakur.The MoUs cover a comprehensive spectrum of India’s maritime ambitions, including port infrastructure, shipping, shipbuilding clusters, global shipyard partnerships, green maritime projects, water metros, and heritage-linked initiatives. These projects aim to position India as a leading global maritime and shipbuilding hub by 2047, supporting the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.Key highlights include:Bahuda Port Development (Odisha): Paradip Port Authority, Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Sagarmala Finance Corporation, and the Odisha government signed an MoU for a new port with 150 MTPA capacity on 6,700 acres, attracting investments of Rs 215 billion and generating around 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.Water Metro in Patna (Bihar): An MoU between the Inland Waterways Authority of India and the Bihar government for a Rs 9.08 billion project deploying energy-efficient electric ferries, modern terminals, and multimodal waterway transport integration.Shipping Sector Collaboration: Shipping Corporation of India partnered with IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL to form a Vessel Owning Joint Venture Company, aiming to reduce foreign fleet dependence and promote Indian-built ships under Atmanirbhar Bharat.Shipbuilding Clusters: State governments of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu will collaborate with the Centre to develop state-of-the-art shipbuilding clusters, green innovation hubs, and R&D facilities, enhancing India’s global shipbuilding competitiveness. News source: Business Standard

Infrastructure Transport

09 Jan 2026

India Becomes First to Produce Bio-Bitumen for Roads

India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen for use in road construction, according to Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Bitumen, a black and viscous hydrocarbon derived from crude oil, is a key binding material in road building, and the bio-based alternative is expected to significantly improve the sector’s environmental footprint.Addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari congratulated Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on achieving the milestone, noting that the initiative would help curb ..

Infrastructure Urban

09 Jan 2026

HILT Policy Seen Boosting Telangana Revenue Sharply

The Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation (HILT) Policy is expected to generate around Rs 1.08 billion in revenue for the Telangana state exchequer, according to Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. Speaking in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he said the policy would be implemented within a six-month timeframe in a transparent manner, with uniform rules applicable to all stakeholders. Mr Vikramarka noted that without the HILT Policy, the state would have earned only about Rs 1.2 million per acre. Under the new framework, however, revenue is projected to rise sharply to Rs 70 ..

Infrastructure Urban

09 Jan 2026

India Post, MoRD Tie Up to Boost Rural Inclusion

The Department of Posts and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate rural transformation and expand financial, digital and logistics services for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural households across India. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The collaboration aligns with the government’s “Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa” vision and seeks to repositi..