Billions for Bengal’s maritime logistics

The Indian government aims to develop West Bengal into a maritime and logistics hub for East India with investments amounting to approximately 2.3 billion USD. The focus is on ports, waterways, and multimodal logistics.

India’s Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, has presented an investment program worth around 2.3 billion USD for West Bengal in Kolkata. The projects are expected to be implemented by 2031 and, according to government sources, will create more than 62,500 direct and indirect jobs.

The initiatives include the establishment of the multimodal logistics center in Balagarh, the expansion and mechanization of the port facilities in Kolkata and Haldia, the development of inland waterways, as well as new shipbuilding and repair capacities. Additionally, investments in river tourism, waterfront developments, and port-related industrial clusters are planned.

Particularly relevant for freight transport are the planned improvements to port and waterway infrastructure. The cargo volume of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port increased from 46.3 million tons in 2014 to 70.9 million tons in the fiscal year 2025/26, according to government sources. The transport volume on inland waterways has nearly quintupled during the same period.

The projects are part of the „Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047“ strategy, which aims to modernize India’s maritime infrastructure and reduce logistics costs. West Bengal is to be positioned as a hub for trade with Northeast India and neighboring countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.