Inland waterways cargo reaches 218 million tonnes, past the Maritime India Vision 2030 target

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Inland waterways cargo reaches 218 million tonnes, past the Maritime India Vision 2030 target

16 October 2026

Cargo moved on India's inland waterways rose to 218 million metric tonnes in 2025-26 from 29 million metric tonnes in 2014-15, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said. That is a compound annual growth rate of 20.13 per cent. The 200 million metric tonne target set under Maritime India Vision 2030 has already been exceeded. India has 111 National Waterways covering 20,187 km across 23 states and four Union Territories. The ministry attributed the growth to hydrographic surveys, modern navigation infrastructure and digital information systems.

Cargo in 2025-26: 218 MMT Cargo in 2014-15: 29 MMT CAGR: 20.13% National Waterways: 111, covering 20,187 km in 23 states and 4 UTs

Why it matters for exams: The number of National Waterways, their total length and the cargo figure are frequently asked infrastructure data points.

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16 October 2026 Source: News On AIR (Prasar Bharati)

In plain words

MMT Million Metric Tonnes — The unit in which bulk cargo volumes are reported.

Maritime India Vision 2030 Maritime India Vision 2030 — The ministry's ten year blueprint for ports, shipping and waterways.