News Bulletin: June 2026 – Edition 1
LPAI Plans 7 New Integrated Land Ports
The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) has announced plans to develop seven new Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), including five in the strategically important Siliguri Corridor. The initiative is aimed at strengthening border trade infrastructure, improving cross-border cargo movement, and enhancing connectivity with neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Read more here: TOI
Maharashtra Proposes Rail Freight Corridor Linking JNPA, Vadhvan Port and Samruddhi Expressway
The Maharashtra Government has proposed a dedicated rail freight corridor connecting JNPA and the upcoming Vadhvan Port with the Samruddhi Expressway corridor. The project aims to improve hinterland connectivity, reduce logistics costs, and support freight movement between ports and inland consumption centres.
Read more here: TOI
Sagarmala Crosses 78 Completed Projects
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reported that 78 Sagarmala projects worth over ₹5,300 crore had been completed as of March 2026. The programme continues to focus on port-led development, last-mile connectivity, logistics integration, and coastal economic growth.
Read more here: PIB
India’s Thermal Coal Imports Fall to Four-Year Low
India’s thermal coal imports declined 12% during January-May 2026, reaching a four-year low. The decline has been attributed to rising domestic production and growing renewable energy generation, which increased 22% during the same period.
Read more here: Reuters
India’s Wind Power Capacity Reaches 56 GW
India’s installed wind power capacity has increased to 56.09 GW, with an additional 28 GW under implementation. FY 2025-26 also recorded the country’s highest-ever annual wind capacity addition of 6.05 GW.
Read more here: PIB
Core Infrastructure Sector Growth Slows in May
India’s eight core infrastructure industries recorded 0.5% growth in May 2026, the slowest pace in seven months. While cement, steel, and power registered growth, weaker performance in other sectors moderated overall expansion.
Read more here: ET Infra
Amit Shah Launches ‘Vinimay’ Digital Platform for Border Trade
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched ‘Vinimay’, a digital Land Port Management System aimed at streamlining cargo processing and passenger movement across India’s land borders. The platform enables digital workflows, real-time tracking, online payments, and single-window clearances to improve efficiency and trade facilitation.
Read more here: India Shipping News
UK Intercepts Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in English Channel
The United Kingdom carried out its first interception of a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the English Channel as part of efforts to strengthen sanctions enforcement and maritime security. The operation highlights increasing international scrutiny of shipping activities linked to sanctioned Russian oil trade.
Read more here: The Times of India
Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Adopts Tunnel Hood Technology
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project will be the first in India to deploy tunnel hood technology at mountain tunnel portals. The technology helps reduce noise, manage air pressure waves, and improve operational efficiency, reflecting the adoption of advanced high-speed rail engineering practices.
Read more here: ET Infra
BRICS Adopts Indore Declaration on Agriculture Cooperation
BRICS nations adopted the Indore Declaration to strengthen collaboration on agriculture, food security, and sustainable farming. India will lead initiatives focused on seed rights and digital agriculture, supporting greater use of technology and innovation across the agricultural sector.
Read more here: The Times of India
Alang Shipbreaking Yard Faces Record Low Vessel Arrivals
Alang ship recycling yard is experiencing one of its weakest periods in recent years, with vessel arrivals falling significantly. Industry observers attribute the decline to strong freight markets and shipowners extending vessel life cycles, impacting activity across the ship recycling sector.
Read more here: ET Infra
AM Green and VOC Port Partner on Green Ammonia Export Hub
AM Green and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority have partnered to develop a green ammonia export hub in Tuticorin. The project will establish dedicated storage, handling, and export infrastructure to support India’s growing green hydrogen and clean fuel ambitions.
Read more here: ET Infra
India Faces Proposed Additional US Tariffs
India is among several economies identified for potential additional tariffs under a U.S. trade review linked to supply chain concerns. While the proposal remains under consultation, it highlights evolving trade dynamics as India and the United States continue negotiations on a broader trade agreement.
Read more here: Business World
Government Reconstitutes Board of Trade with Industry Leaders
The Government of India has inducted 29 industry leaders from sectors including manufacturing, automotive, technology, and finance into the Board of Trade. The move aims to strengthen industry participation in export policy, competitiveness, and trade promotion initiatives.
Read more here: Business World
Reliance MET City Secures ₹8,646 Crore Investment Commitments
Reliance MET City in Haryana has signed investment agreements worth ₹8,646 crore with domestic and international companies across manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and industrial services sectors. The investments are expected to support industrial growth and employment generation in the region.
Read more here: Business World
JNPA Retains Top Ranking Among Indian Ports
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) retained its position as India’s highest-ranked port and secured 22nd place globally in the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025. The ranking reflects continued improvements in operational efficiency, digitalisation, and capacity enhancement.
Read more here: India Shipping News
Akasa Air Launches SkyCadet Pilot Training ProgrammeAkasa Air Launches SkyCadet Pilot Training Programme
Akasa Air has launched the SkyCadet Programme to develop future commercial pilots through structured aviation training and airline-focused preparation. The initiative comes amid growing demand for skilled aviation professionals as India’s aviation sector continues to expand.
Read more here: ET Infra
Sector Focus: Ports & Harbours
India’s Ports: From Gateway to Growth Engine
Nearly 95% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value moves through maritime transport, making ports not just infrastructure assets but strategic national priorities. As India enters FY2026-27, the sector carries its strongest momentum in years.
A record year sets the benchmark
India’s major ports collectively handled 915.17 million tonnes of cargo in FY2025-26, surpassing the annual target of 904 MT and recording year-on-year growth of 7.06%. Container volumes have been a key driver, with container handling climbing 11% in FY2024-25, supported by a diverse cargo mix where petroleum products constitute approximately 28%, coal 24%, and containers 21.5%. FY2026-27 opens against the backdrop of consecutive record years and sustained capacity expansion.
New legislation: a modern framework for a modern sector
Five landmark Bills were passed to replace outdated maritime regulations, covering Bills of Lading, Carriage of Goods by Sea, Coastal Shipping, Merchant Shipping, and the Indian Ports Act. Collectively these reforms aim to enhance operational efficiency, simplify documentation, bring regulatory clarity, and encourage sustainable coastal shipping. For investors and developers, this legislative overhaul significantly reduces ambiguity and strengthens the contracting environment for long-term port projects.
Deep-draft and transshipment capability: closing the gap
A defining theme of the current investment cycle is India’s push toward ports capable of accommodating the world’s largest vessels and competing with regional transshipment hubs. Capacity augmentation projects are underway to develop deep-draft ports designed to handle larger vessels, improving operational efficiency and reducing turnaround times. India’s ports sector is set to attract an estimated Rs. 12,00,000 crore in investments between 2025 and 2035, directed toward shipbuilding, port modernization, and coastal infrastructure.
Digitization: from pilots to operations
An Indian major port became the first in the country to implement Digital Twin technology in March 2026, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive analysis, and improved operational efficiency. JNPA completed the full roll-out of its Enterprise Business System in FY2025-26, expected to reduce transaction costs, enhance real-time operational visibility, and improve ease of doing business for port users and shipping lines. AI-based berth allocation and maritime single-window platforms are progressing across major ports as the sector embraces technology-led efficiency.
Coastal shipping: the emerging corridor
Budget 2026-27 has given fresh impetus to coastal and inland water transport. A Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme has been introduced targeting an increase in the combined share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from 6% to 12% by 2047, with 20 new national waterways to be operationalized over the next five years. Cargo traffic on national waterways grew from 18 MMT in FY2013-14 to 146 MMT in FY2024-25, a trajectory set to accelerate with this policy push.
Green ports: sustainability enters the mainstream
Under the Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched a Green Port Performance Index framework in October 2025, and three major Indian ports have already been recognized as Green Hydrogen Hubs under the National Mission. As global shipping lanes increasingly demand environmental compliance, India’s early movement on green port standards positions the sector well for the decade ahead.
The investment outlook for FY2026-27
Budget 2026-27 emphasizes support for indigenous shipbuilding and repair industries, with the Maritime Development Fund expanding and financial assistance to domestic yards increasing. Private sector investment in PPP port projects tripled from Rs. 1,329 crore in FY2023 to Rs. 3,986 crore in FY2025, a trend expected to continue as the regulatory and contracting environment matures. The Economic Survey 2025-26 identified ports and shipping among the sectors set for strong growth through FY2031, supported by rising demand, sustained infrastructure investment, and a supportive policy environment.
For infrastructure consultants, developers, and financiers, FY2026-27 presents a wide canvas spanning port master planning, hinterland connectivity, logistics park development around port zones, industrial cluster advisory, and sustainability integration. India’s ports are no longer simply trade gateways. They are becoming anchors of economic geography, and the investment cycle now underway will shape that geography for decades to come.
Sources: PIB, Get Transport, IBEF, Invest India, India Infrastructure, PIB
The Growing Value of Adaptability in Infrastructure
By Himangi Ahuja
Sales and Marketing Advisor, Eka Infra
Infrastructure projects are typically planned with a long horizon in mind. Forecasts for cargo volumes, traffic growth, industrial activity, energy demand, and population trends help shape decisions that may influence an asset’s performance for decades.
Yet recent years have demonstrated how quickly circumstances can change. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains, geopolitical developments altered trade patterns, and emerging industries created new infrastructure requirements. In several sectors, demand has evolved in ways that would have been difficult to predict a decade ago.
Consider a port planned around one set of cargo assumptions, only to see growth emerge from different industries altogether. Or a logistics facility that reaches capacity earlier than anticipated because of changes in regional manufacturing activity. Such situations highlight the challenge of making long-term decisions in an environment where economic and technological conditions continue to evolve.
None of this diminishes the importance of forecasting. Sound planning remains fundamental to infrastructure development. However, it does raise an important question: should infrastructure be designed only for the future we expect, or also for futures we cannot fully anticipate?
This question is particularly relevant because infrastructure assets are built to last. Decisions taken during planning and design can influence operations for decades, long after the assumptions that informed them have been overtaken by new realities.
One way to address this challenge is to consider how flexibility can be incorporated into projects from the outset. This does not necessarily require larger investments or more complex designs. In many cases, it may simply involve preserving future options.
A master plan that allows for phased expansion, land reserved for future development, provisions for additional capacity, or layouts that can accommodate evolving operational requirements can provide room for adaptation as circumstances change. Such measures may help asset owners respond more effectively to opportunities and challenges that emerge over time.
The objective is not to predict every possible outcome. Rather, it is to recognise that uncertainty is an inherent part of long-term infrastructure planning and to avoid creating constraints that may be difficult or costly to address later.
As infrastructure continues to support economic growth, trade, mobility, and the energy transition, adaptability may become an increasingly valuable consideration. The most successful projects may not be those designed around a single vision of the future, but those capable of remaining relevant across a range of possible futures.